Author: Nancy Farmer
Stars: 5
Review by: Fernanda L.
Destination: Mexico
This story was very imaginative with lots going on. Easy to read.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The One that I Want
Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Stars: 4
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: "Westlake" (somewhere in the Pacific Northwest I think)
A story of a young woman who has stayed in her hometown, and discovers that maybe the ideal life that she loves isn't so ideal. The emotion in this book is so real and raw that it can be easy to relate and feel as if you are in her life! Hard to put down, although a bit on the sad side!
Stars: 4
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: "Westlake" (somewhere in the Pacific Northwest I think)
A story of a young woman who has stayed in her hometown, and discovers that maybe the ideal life that she loves isn't so ideal. The emotion in this book is so real and raw that it can be easy to relate and feel as if you are in her life! Hard to put down, although a bit on the sad side!
Sanctuary
Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination: Island off the coast of Georgia
Kept my interest throughout the book.
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination: Island off the coast of Georgia
Kept my interest throughout the book.
Look Again
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Stars: 5
Review by: LP
Destination: US
Outstanding book! Could not put it down.
Stars: 5
Review by: LP
Destination: US
Outstanding book! Could not put it down.
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
Author: Beth Hoffman
Stars: 4
Review by: ddlesmom
Destination: Georgia
If you like The Secret Life of Bees you'll like this book as well. Great beach read.
Stars: 4
Review by: ddlesmom
Destination: Georgia
If you like The Secret Life of Bees you'll like this book as well. Great beach read.
The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Stars: 5
Review by: scrappy3
Destination: Future North America: Panem
Fantastic-couldn't put it down! Can't wait to read book 2, Catching Fire!!
Stars: 5
Review by: scrappy3
Destination: Future North America: Panem
Fantastic-couldn't put it down! Can't wait to read book 2, Catching Fire!!
The Butterfly's Daughter
Author: Mary Alice Monroe
Stars: 5
Review by: KeeRead
Destination: Texas & Mexico
This book deserves a rating of a 20!!!
Stars: 5
Review by: KeeRead
Destination: Texas & Mexico
This book deserves a rating of a 20!!!
Worth Dying For
Author: Lee Child
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Nebraska--the endless plains
A good guy doing bad things to bad guys. Perverse satisfaction.
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Nebraska--the endless plains
A good guy doing bad things to bad guys. Perverse satisfaction.
Too Perfect
Author: Julie Ortolon
Stars: 3.5
Review by: provo
Destination: St. Bart's
Surprisingly good summer read.
Stars: 3.5
Review by: provo
Destination: St. Bart's
Surprisingly good summer read.
Elite Fighting Forces: from the Praetorian Guard to the Green Berets
Author: Editor: Jeremy Black
Stars: 4
Review by: Taffrail
Destination:
A very good overview of special forces throughout history and throughout the world.
Stars: 4
Review by: Taffrail
Destination:
A very good overview of special forces throughout history and throughout the world.
Tough Cookie (A Culinary Mystery)
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: CO
The main character is getting stronger and stronger as the series moves on. Still has laughs and good recipes while evolving nicely. Easy summer read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: CO
The main character is getting stronger and stronger as the series moves on. Still has laughs and good recipes while evolving nicely. Easy summer read.
The Last Lie
Author: Stephen White
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: CO
Slow moving until the last 6 chapters.
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: CO
Slow moving until the last 6 chapters.
When the Emperor Was Divine
Author: Julie Otsuka
Stars: 3
Review by: pla
Destination: Japanese Internment camps--US
Very sad.
Stars: 3
Review by: pla
Destination: Japanese Internment camps--US
Very sad.
The Things That Keep Us Here
Author: Carla Buckley
Stars: 5
Review by: Miss Lucy
Destination: Ohio
This is a story of bird flu (avian influenza) spiraled out of control. The Things That Keep Us Here is a novel, but the disease is real. First time author Carla Buckley has really thought this through, and the dangers involved in living (or not) through a pandemic are very scary! Hard to put down!!!
Stars: 5
Review by: Miss Lucy
Destination: Ohio
This is a story of bird flu (avian influenza) spiraled out of control. The Things That Keep Us Here is a novel, but the disease is real. First time author Carla Buckley has really thought this through, and the dangers involved in living (or not) through a pandemic are very scary! Hard to put down!!!
What Alice Forgot
Author: Liane Moriarty
Stars: 5
Review by: the reader
Destination:
I think this book would make an excellent book club discussion book. I read about it in Oprah's magazine and it was an amazing read!
Stars: 5
Review by: the reader
Destination:
I think this book would make an excellent book club discussion book. I read about it in Oprah's magazine and it was an amazing read!
Dreams of Joy
Author: Lisa See
Stars: 3
Review by: acorn
Destination:
A follow-up of her last book. Not as good.
Stars: 3
Review by: acorn
Destination:
A follow-up of her last book. Not as good.
The Anniversary Man
Author: R.J. Ellory
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: NYC
Serial killer mimicking murders that happened 2 decades earlier. Baffling.
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: NYC
Serial killer mimicking murders that happened 2 decades earlier. Baffling.
Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops
Author: Gael Fashingbauer Cooer & Brian Bellmont
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination:
If you grew up in the 70's or the 80's, this book full of kitsch will bring back many memories!
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination:
If you grew up in the 70's or the 80's, this book full of kitsch will bring back many memories!
Crashing Through
Author: Robert Kurson
Stars: 5
Review by: Judyangel
Destination: California
This was a real page turner. It's about a man who lost his eyesight when he was three and is offered sight at forty-three. Very inspirational.
Stars: 5
Review by: Judyangel
Destination: California
This was a real page turner. It's about a man who lost his eyesight when he was three and is offered sight at forty-three. Very inspirational.
One Summer
Author: David Baldacci
Stars: 5
Review by: the reader
Destination: SC
This is a great summer read about a family learning to love again. Some sad parts, but Baldacci did a great job with this one.
Stars: 5
Review by: the reader
Destination: SC
This is a great summer read about a family learning to love again. Some sad parts, but Baldacci did a great job with this one.
The Sandman: Endless Nights
Author: Neil Gaiman
Stars: 5
Review by: Elaine
Destination:
A Graphic Novel with very diverse and cool illustrations and themes that get you thinking.
Stars: 5
Review by: Elaine
Destination:
A Graphic Novel with very diverse and cool illustrations and themes that get you thinking.
Agatha Raisin & the Wizard of Evesham
Author: M.C. Beaton
Stars: 5
Review by: G.G. Bell
Destination: England
Good mystery.
Stars: 5
Review by: G.G. Bell
Destination: England
Good mystery.
The Jefferson Key
Author: Steve Berry
Stars: 2.5
Review by: JamBob
Destination: NC
This March I attended a Nancy Drew Convention in Charlottesville, Va....mystery based on The Hidden Window wherein Nancy visits Monticello so we group ( of 55 ND fans) did too. I became utterly fascinated by Thomas Jefferson. What a ingenious Founding Father. I bought several books that I will read and review, but this one is a thriller loosely based on a Jefferson cypher. He was intrigued by codes and developed a cypher wheel which you may have seen in The Da Vinci Code. This book's best points were those discussing history starting with the attempted assassination of Pres. Andrew Jackson and the other Presidents that followed. But then it devolves into an action packed thriller written at times like a movie script with scenes happening at the same time in different locations. Its a fun summer read that should have emphasized the story more than the action. I got the feeling that the author really wants one of his books to be made into a movie and is writing his novels in that format.
Stars: 2.5
Review by: JamBob
Destination: NC
This March I attended a Nancy Drew Convention in Charlottesville, Va....mystery based on The Hidden Window wherein Nancy visits Monticello so we group ( of 55 ND fans) did too. I became utterly fascinated by Thomas Jefferson. What a ingenious Founding Father. I bought several books that I will read and review, but this one is a thriller loosely based on a Jefferson cypher. He was intrigued by codes and developed a cypher wheel which you may have seen in The Da Vinci Code. This book's best points were those discussing history starting with the attempted assassination of Pres. Andrew Jackson and the other Presidents that followed. But then it devolves into an action packed thriller written at times like a movie script with scenes happening at the same time in different locations. Its a fun summer read that should have emphasized the story more than the action. I got the feeling that the author really wants one of his books to be made into a movie and is writing his novels in that format.
Walking the Witch (The Otherworld Series)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Oregon & Washington
This story features the character Savannah Levine and her first time out as an adult. It has a lot of mystery, sadness and growing pains. The ending is a twist and makes you want to read the next book coming out soon.
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Oregon & Washington
This story features the character Savannah Levine and her first time out as an adult. It has a lot of mystery, sadness and growing pains. The ending is a twist and makes you want to read the next book coming out soon.
A Catered Halloween (A Mystery With Recipes)
Author: Isis Crawford
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: NY State
A fun Halloween murder mystery with ghosts, haunted houses, twist and turns. A fun read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: NY State
A fun Halloween murder mystery with ghosts, haunted houses, twist and turns. A fun read.
The Main Corpse - A Culinary Mystery
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Denver, CO
Another in book in this series but this time the main character is getting bolder and more confident in her investigating skills while still keeping the cooking and fun going. Good summer book to read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Denver, CO
Another in book in this series but this time the main character is getting bolder and more confident in her investigating skills while still keeping the cooking and fun going. Good summer book to read.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
New this Week…
Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…
The latest entry in the best-selling series that includes Sizzlin' Sixteen and Finger Lickin' Fifteen finds bounty hunter Stephanie Plum leaning on her network of friends and supporters, including Grandma Mazur and mentor Ranger, when an assignment brings more trouble than anticipated.
The U.S. release of an internationally best-selling title finds Swedish Detective Inspector Joona Linna investigating the murders of three family members, whose killing was witnessed by a fourth intended victim, a traumatized child whose shock Linna hopes to penetrate through a controversial hypnotism session.
Unable to retain her professional detachment when her mother is abducted while babysitting her 4-month-old daughter, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Faith Mitchell teams up with Will Trent and Sara Linton in a case that reveals unsettling truths. By the best-selling author of Broken.
Presents the story of vivacious Cora Cash, whose early twentieth-century marriage to England's most eligible duke is overshadowed by his secretive nature and the traps and betrayals of London's social scene. A first novel.
When her dream job turns into a living nightmare, causing her to become the prime suspect in a murder investigation, art gallery manager Alice Humphrey must prove that she has been set up--a deadly mission that plunges her into a high-tech criminal conspiracy that is shockingly linked to her own family.
Friday, June 17, 2011
A Catered Valentine's Day (A Mystery with Recipes)
Author: Isis Crawford
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: NY
A funny murder mystery. The interaction between the sisters makes it fun to read.
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: NY
A funny murder mystery. The interaction between the sisters makes it fun to read.
Chopping Spree
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado
Another fun read by this author. It adds more family dynamics to set it apart from others in the series.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado
Another fun read by this author. It adds more family dynamics to set it apart from others in the series.
Murder on K Street
Author: Margaret Truman
Stars: 5
Review by: Donna S
Destination: US
Amazing murder mystery with something for everyone - murder, politics, a little romance and a great ending. The story revolves around a 30-year friendship of two men, starting in college and ending with murder. A quick read.
Stars: 5
Review by: Donna S
Destination: US
Amazing murder mystery with something for everyone - murder, politics, a little romance and a great ending. The story revolves around a 30-year friendship of two men, starting in college and ending with murder. A quick read.
Letter to My Daughter
Author: George Bishop
Stars: 4
Review by: NewRetireeReader
Destination: Louisiana
Elizabeth, a 15 yr old, storms out of the house. Her mother, Laura, writes a letter about her adolescence.
Stars: 4
Review by: NewRetireeReader
Destination: Louisiana
Elizabeth, a 15 yr old, storms out of the house. Her mother, Laura, writes a letter about her adolescence.
After the Fire
Author: Robin Gaby Fischer
Stars: 5
Review by: Jelsey
Destination: New Jersey
Many of us remember back in January 2000 when an early morning fire at Seton Hall University raged through a freshman dorm taking the lives of three freshmen and leaving many others injured. This book is the story of the two most seriously burned by that fire, 18-year-old roommates who somehow survived the flames. This non-fiction account then follows their tedious and painful recovery at St. Barnabas Hospital in Newark and finally at the Kessler Institute in West Orange. Fischer's writing is lively and spellbinding. (Her coverage of the story for the Star Ledger was nominated for a Pulitzer prize.) The book is full of personal stories about the two young men, their families, the medical personnel, and all of those whose lives they touched over the period. It is a beautiful story of friendship, survival, and devotion. It's a compelling read and very hard to put down!
Stars: 5
Review by: Jelsey
Destination: New Jersey
Many of us remember back in January 2000 when an early morning fire at Seton Hall University raged through a freshman dorm taking the lives of three freshmen and leaving many others injured. This book is the story of the two most seriously burned by that fire, 18-year-old roommates who somehow survived the flames. This non-fiction account then follows their tedious and painful recovery at St. Barnabas Hospital in Newark and finally at the Kessler Institute in West Orange. Fischer's writing is lively and spellbinding. (Her coverage of the story for the Star Ledger was nominated for a Pulitzer prize.) The book is full of personal stories about the two young men, their families, the medical personnel, and all of those whose lives they touched over the period. It is a beautiful story of friendship, survival, and devotion. It's a compelling read and very hard to put down!
Tolstoy & the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading
Author: Nina Sankovitch
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination: Connecticut
The memoir of a woman who made the decision to read one book a day for a year in order to return to life after grieving for her sister who died several years earlier from cancer.
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination: Connecticut
The memoir of a woman who made the decision to read one book a day for a year in order to return to life after grieving for her sister who died several years earlier from cancer.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Hell at the Breech
Author: Tom Franklin
Stars: 4
Review by: Judyangel
Destination: 1897 Alabama
I've never read a book like this before. It was historical, based on dark events of dark days. The people decided to govern their town and created a bloody massacre based on the Mitcham War.
Stars: 4
Review by: Judyangel
Destination: 1897 Alabama
I've never read a book like this before. It was historical, based on dark events of dark days. The people decided to govern their town and created a bloody massacre based on the Mitcham War.
Bad Blood
Author: John Sandford
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Minnesota
Read it a second time - but couldn't put it down.
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Minnesota
Read it a second time - but couldn't put it down.
The Girl who Played with Fire
Author: Stieg Larsson
Stars: 5
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: Sweden
Could NOT put this down, and now I can't wait for the next one!
Stars: 5
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: Sweden
Could NOT put this down, and now I can't wait for the next one!
Cutting for Stone
Author: Abraham Verghese
Stars: 5
Review by: Jelsey
Destination: Ethiopia
Twin boys are born and raised in an Ethiopian medical center and eventually pursue medical careers. Along the way, we see medicine as practiced in a third-world country, a political coup that overthrows the government, a culture that blends aspects of previous colonists, visiting religious groups, and modern influences with the native East Africans. It is also a love story. This is a big book, but a real page turner!
Stars: 5
Review by: Jelsey
Destination: Ethiopia
Twin boys are born and raised in an Ethiopian medical center and eventually pursue medical careers. Along the way, we see medicine as practiced in a third-world country, a political coup that overthrows the government, a culture that blends aspects of previous colonists, visiting religious groups, and modern influences with the native East Africans. It is also a love story. This is a big book, but a real page turner!
The Seventeen Traditions
Author: Ralph Nader
Stars: 3
Review by: BKF
Destination: Connecticut
A compilation of recollections and life lessons learned from immigrant parents raising a family in a small Connecticut town. The saddest part about reading this book was realizing that this kind of upbringing, imbued with family values, tradition, and personal responsibility, is a thing of the past. And we are no better off for its loss.
Stars: 3
Review by: BKF
Destination: Connecticut
A compilation of recollections and life lessons learned from immigrant parents raising a family in a small Connecticut town. The saddest part about reading this book was realizing that this kind of upbringing, imbued with family values, tradition, and personal responsibility, is a thing of the past. And we are no better off for its loss.
In the Woods
Author: Tana French
Stars: 3
Review by: bookmom3
Destination: Ireland
I liked this book but felt a little bit let down with the ending. It just wasn't "tied up" enough for me.
Stars: 3
Review by: bookmom3
Destination: Ireland
I liked this book but felt a little bit let down with the ending. It just wasn't "tied up" enough for me.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Killer Pancake
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Denver, CO
Fun murder mystery with twists and turns around the cosmetics industry. Easy summer reading.
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Denver, CO
Fun murder mystery with twists and turns around the cosmetics industry. Easy summer reading.
Hit List
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Tacoma, WA
Old school Anita Blake story. Had a lot of build up, but was disappointed by the ending. Felt like an updated version of a previous story. It did have some twists so that it left you feeling like this could be the last book in the series or maybe not. Easy summer read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Tacoma, WA
Old school Anita Blake story. Had a lot of build up, but was disappointed by the ending. Felt like an updated version of a previous story. It did have some twists so that it left you feeling like this could be the last book in the series or maybe not. Easy summer read.
In the Garden of Beasts
Author: Erik Larson
Stars: 4
Review by: sc2011
Destination: Germany
It was interesting to read about Germany during the rise of Hitler's regime from the perspective of the American Ambassador.
Stars: 4
Review by: sc2011
Destination: Germany
It was interesting to read about Germany during the rise of Hitler's regime from the perspective of the American Ambassador.
The Land of Painted Caves
Author: Jean Auel
Stars: 3
Review by: sc2011
Destination: Europe
It was overall an interesting book, but it was a long read and some sections were a bit slow.
Stars: 3
Review by: sc2011
Destination: Europe
It was overall an interesting book, but it was a long read and some sections were a bit slow.
Silent Mercy
Author: Linda Fairstein
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination: NYC
I truly doubt that the NYC Police and the District Attorney's Office put this much time and energy into all their investigations.
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination: NYC
I truly doubt that the NYC Police and the District Attorney's Office put this much time and energy into all their investigations.
A Man Without A Country
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Stars: 5
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Indiana
A love story about America, told with acerbic wit and insight about our leaders.
Stars: 5
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Indiana
A love story about America, told with acerbic wit and insight about our leaders.
Red on Red
Author: Edward Conlon
Stars: 2
Review by: BigDa
Destination: NYC
Verbose. Although billed as "good literature."
Stars: 2
Review by: BigDa
Destination: NYC
Verbose. Although billed as "good literature."
A Dog's Purpose
Author: W. Bruce Cameron
Stars: 5
Review by: Acorn
Destination:
I am not a dog lover but this book was different and very good.
Stars: 5
Review by: Acorn
Destination:
I am not a dog lover but this book was different and very good.
Night Road
Author: Kristin Hannah
Stars: 4
Review by: Acorn
Destination: Seattle
Listened to this book. It kept me engrossed.
Stars: 4
Review by: Acorn
Destination: Seattle
Listened to this book. It kept me engrossed.
Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Stars: 4
Review by: Acorn
Destination: US
I hesitate to rate this book. The premise was disturbing. I listened to it but do not think I could have read it. The voices were so great on the disc. Would love to hear other opinions.
Stars: 4
Review by: Acorn
Destination: US
I hesitate to rate this book. The premise was disturbing. I listened to it but do not think I could have read it. The voices were so great on the disc. Would love to hear other opinions.
The Bee Balm Murders
Author: Cynthia Rigg
Stars: 4
Review by: mystery lover
Destination: Massachusetts
Really good book--did not know who did it until the end.
Stars: 4
Review by: mystery lover
Destination: Massachusetts
Really good book--did not know who did it until the end.
Clutches and Curses
Author: Dorothy Howell
Stars: 4
Review by: the reader
Destination: Las Vegas
This was a funny, delightful murder mystery!
Stars: 4
Review by: the reader
Destination: Las Vegas
This was a funny, delightful murder mystery!
Minding Ben
Author: Victoria Brown
Stars: 4
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: NYC (& Trinidad)
A teenager comes to the US from Trinidad alone and gets a job as a nanny for an awful family! Very much like the Nanny Diaries except for the Trinidad background and immigrant status of the nanny. Very interesting!
Stars: 4
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: NYC (& Trinidad)
A teenager comes to the US from Trinidad alone and gets a job as a nanny for an awful family! Very much like the Nanny Diaries except for the Trinidad background and immigrant status of the nanny. Very interesting!
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Author: Stieg Larsson
Stars: 5
Review by: RLS
Destination: Sweden
Great characters; lots of twists & turns. Can't wait to read Mr. Larsson's 2nd novel in this series.
Stars: 5
Review by: RLS
Destination: Sweden
Great characters; lots of twists & turns. Can't wait to read Mr. Larsson's 2nd novel in this series.
The Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Stars: 4
Review by: NewRetireeReader
Destination: Massachusetts & India
Wonderful book about the Gangulis from the arranged marriage, and the relationship that develops between Ashoke and Ashima, then the birth and lives of their children, Gogal (Nikhil) and Sonia. It's interesting the learn about the Bengali culture.
Stars: 4
Review by: NewRetireeReader
Destination: Massachusetts & India
Wonderful book about the Gangulis from the arranged marriage, and the relationship that develops between Ashoke and Ashima, then the birth and lives of their children, Gogal (Nikhil) and Sonia. It's interesting the learn about the Bengali culture.
The Sisters Brothers
Author: Patrick DeWitt
Stars: 4
Review by: Fernanda L.
Destination: CA and OR
A quick, easy read. The story is a cowboy western with several humorous events thrown in.
Stars: 4
Review by: Fernanda L.
Destination: CA and OR
A quick, easy read. The story is a cowboy western with several humorous events thrown in.
Eternal on the Water
Author: Joseph Monninger
Stars: 5
Review by: P Kerr
Destination:
Wonderful, thought-provoking story. Really touched me for many reason.
Stars: 5
Review by: P Kerr
Destination:
Wonderful, thought-provoking story. Really touched me for many reason.
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Author: Tom Franklin
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Mississippi
Review: Captures the flavor of a small, backward town and its tensions between blacks and whites.
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Mississippi
Review: Captures the flavor of a small, backward town and its tensions between blacks and whites.
Lye in Wait
Author: Cricket McRae
Stars: 3
Review by: the reader
Destination:
Review: A light enjoyable mystery!
Stars: 3
Review by: the reader
Destination:
Review: A light enjoyable mystery!
Dirty Rotten Tendrils - A Flower Ship Mystery
Author: Kate Collins
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Indiana
Review: Next to most recent book in series, its a funny, light read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Indiana
Review: Next to most recent book in series, its a funny, light read.
The Cereal Murders (A Culinary Mystery)
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Denver, CO
Review: This is the 3rd book in this series and has some of the typical twists and turns of this genre. There are some special twists that makes this book interesting. A good, light, summer read.
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Denver, CO
Review: This is the 3rd book in this series and has some of the typical twists and turns of this genre. There are some special twists that makes this book interesting. A good, light, summer read.
Faith
Author: Jennifer Haigh
Stars: 5
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Boston
Review: Although written by a woman, this book gives an accurate insight into the spiritual and emotional life of a priest.
Stars: 5
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Boston
Review: Although written by a woman, this book gives an accurate insight into the spiritual and emotional life of a priest.
The Whisperers
Author: John Connelly
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Maine
Review: Stick with it and questions will be answered.
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Maine
Review: Stick with it and questions will be answered.
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Author: Tom Franklin
Stars: 4
Review by: Judyangel
Destination: Mississippi
Review: Great read,couldn't put it down. Very suspenseful.
Stars: 4
Review by: Judyangel
Destination: Mississippi
Review: Great read,couldn't put it down. Very suspenseful.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
another note about destinations
If your book takes place in more than one location, please choose the one you feel best represents the book. Thanks!
The Forgotten Garden
Author: Kate Morton
Stars: 3
Review by: Lisa McD
Destination: England
Review: I'd really liked the first book I'd read by Kate Morton (The House at Riverton), so I'd hoped this one would be as good. Not quite. The mystery was still compelling, but the dense atmospheric prose and repetitive flashbacks made for a very slow read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Lisa McD
Destination: England
Review: I'd really liked the first book I'd read by Kate Morton (The House at Riverton), so I'd hoped this one would be as good. Not quite. The mystery was still compelling, but the dense atmospheric prose and repetitive flashbacks made for a very slow read.
The Red Tent
Author: Anita Diamant
Stars: 3
Review by: ddlesmom
Destination: ancient Canaan, probably today's Palestine
Review: The Red Tent is a first-person narrative which tells the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and sister of Joseph, a talented midwife and proto-feminist. She is a minor character in the Bible, but the author has broadened her story. The book's title refers to the tent in which women of Jacob's tribe must, according to the ancient law, take refuge while menstruating or giving birth, and in which they find mutual support and encouragement from their mothers, sisters and aunts.
Stars: 3
Review by: ddlesmom
Destination: ancient Canaan, probably today's Palestine
Review: The Red Tent is a first-person narrative which tells the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and sister of Joseph, a talented midwife and proto-feminist. She is a minor character in the Bible, but the author has broadened her story. The book's title refers to the tent in which women of Jacob's tribe must, according to the ancient law, take refuge while menstruating or giving birth, and in which they find mutual support and encouragement from their mothers, sisters and aunts.
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Author: Stieg Larsson
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination:
Review: High on adventure to a point of being far fetched at times.
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination:
Review: High on adventure to a point of being far fetched at times.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Author: Ray Bradbury
Stars: 5
Review by: Marianne S.
Destination: Illinois
Review: I originally read this 30 years ago; I remember enjoying it, but -- WOW! Bradbury blew me away with the lyricism of his writing. Beautiful (scary) coming of age story.
Stars: 5
Review by: Marianne S.
Destination: Illinois
Review: I originally read this 30 years ago; I remember enjoying it, but -- WOW! Bradbury blew me away with the lyricism of his writing. Beautiful (scary) coming of age story.
The Devil She Knows
Author: Bill Loehfelm
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination: New York
Review: Very well depicted setting, good plotting, pace a little slow. Some graphic & disturbing scenes.
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination: New York
Review: Very well depicted setting, good plotting, pace a little slow. Some graphic & disturbing scenes.
Nine Dragons
Author: Michael Connelly
Stars: 3
Review by: Gayle M
Destination: Hong Kong
Review: If you like Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch series, you will like this one.
Stars: 3
Review by: Gayle M
Destination: Hong Kong
Review: If you like Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch series, you will like this one.
From This Moment On
Author: Shania Twain
Stars: 4
Review by: the reader
Destination: Canada
Review: It was extremely sad to hear about the life she had, however, on a positive note she turned her life around and became a country superstar.
Stars: 4
Review by: the reader
Destination: Canada
Review: It was extremely sad to hear about the life she had, however, on a positive note she turned her life around and became a country superstar.
Week #1 Update
After week #1, we have 65 club members, who have read 27 books already! We've visited three countries, including 9 different states. Good job, everyone!
Congratulations to Tucker2011, our Week #1 Winner!!!
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Stars: 3
Review by: Fernanda L.
Destination: Washington
Review: This is a side story for the Twilight Saga. It's a quick read and offers a different perspective from the other books in the series. Twilight fans would enjoy.
Stars: 3
Review by: Fernanda L.
Destination: Washington
Review: This is a side story for the Twilight Saga. It's a quick read and offers a different perspective from the other books in the series. Twilight fans would enjoy.
Crossed Bones
Author: Carolyn Haines
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Mississippi
Review: 3rd book in the series. Funny but serious murder mystery. Twists and turns with ghosts and love lives make this an interesting read.
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Mississippi
Review: 3rd book in the series. Funny but serious murder mystery. Twists and turns with ghosts and love lives make this an interesting read.
Silent Mercy
Author: Linda Fairstein
Stars: 4
Review by: Judy
Destination: New York
Review: Great mystery and plot, plus the novel provides lots of interesting historical facts about some of the religious institutions in New York City.
Stars: 4
Review by: Judy
Destination: New York
Review: Great mystery and plot, plus the novel provides lots of interesting historical facts about some of the religious institutions in New York City.
And the Pursuit of Happiness
Author: Maira Kalman
Stars: 5
Review by: Elaine
Destination:
Review: Great quick read with lots of historical facts. Graphic Novel genre. Great illustrations and cool typography.
Stars: 5
Review by: Elaine
Destination:
Review: Great quick read with lots of historical facts. Graphic Novel genre. Great illustrations and cool typography.
a note about the "destinations"...
Just to clarify... if your book takes place in the United States, please provide the name of the state, if possible. If it takes place in Canada, please provide the name of the province. For any other countries - just the country name is fine. Thanks! ~Terry
The Sight of the Stars
Author: Belva Plain
Stars: 4
Review by: Donna S
Destination: U.S.
Review: The Sight of the Stars was an interesting read about a main character, Adam, following his life from a child through a great-grandparent.
Usually reading a novel with a female lead, it was interesting to have a different "twist". Easy summer reading.
Stars: 4
Review by: Donna S
Destination: U.S.
Review: The Sight of the Stars was an interesting read about a main character, Adam, following his life from a child through a great-grandparent.
Usually reading a novel with a female lead, it was interesting to have a different "twist". Easy summer reading.
New this Week
Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…
Against All Enemies by Tom Clancy (Putnam)
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson (HarperCollins)
What would life be like if every morning when you woke up, the face before you in the mirror was a stranger and you could not recall anything about your life? This is what Christine, a victim of an automobile accident, faces every morning. At the advice of a neurologist, she keeps a journal each day to help keep her life in order, but she no longer knows who she can trust but knows she feels in danger and unsafe.
Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank
Returning to Folly Beach, her childhood home, newly widowed Cate Cooper, whose late husband's financial exploits have left her homeless and broke, discovers that it is possible to go home again and discover the person she was meant to become. A Lowcounty tale that is Frank’s signature setting.
A James Bond thriller set in the present day finds the iconic British spy engaging a horrific modern villain in a cat-and-mouse chase that takes him from the Balkans and London to the African Continent.
One Summer by David Baldacci
A departure for Baldacci who is know for his thrillers, Jack, terminally ill and preparing to say goodbye to his family, has a miraculous recovery after his wife is killed in a car accident and struggles to reunite his family at her childhood home on the South Carolina oceanfront.
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
Against All Enemies by Tom Clancy (Putnam)
After a vicious Mexican drug cartel joins forces with the Taliban, ex-Navy SEAL and current CIA operative Maxwell Moore and his team must spring into action to protect the United States from unprecedented terror and destruction.
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson (HarperCollins)
What would life be like if every morning when you woke up, the face before you in the mirror was a stranger and you could not recall anything about your life? This is what Christine, a victim of an automobile accident, faces every morning. At the advice of a neurologist, she keeps a journal each day to help keep her life in order, but she no longer knows who she can trust but knows she feels in danger and unsafe.
Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank
Returning to Folly Beach, her childhood home, newly widowed Cate Cooper, whose late husband's financial exploits have left her homeless and broke, discovers that it is possible to go home again and discover the person she was meant to become. A Lowcounty tale that is Frank’s signature setting.
Carte Blanche: The New James Bond Novel by Jeffrey Deaver (Simon & Schuster)
One Summer by David Baldacci
A departure for Baldacci who is know for his thrillers, Jack, terminally ill and preparing to say goodbye to his family, has a miraculous recovery after his wife is killed in a car accident and struggles to reunite his family at her childhood home on the South Carolina oceanfront.
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
Just Jennifer
Sixteen-year-old Margo Crane’s mother left her with her father in their small town on the Stark River in Michigan. Margo has always been much of a tomboy and has been attracted by and mesmerized by the river for years. After her father dies a violent death, which Margo precipitated, she takes the boat her grandfather left her and heads up the river looking for her mother. With only her instincts, a few supplies and her beloved Annie Oakley biography, Margo leaves the rest of her extended family in search of her own family. Only thirty miles from her home, Margo makes the choices she thinks are best for her survival, but a love-starved teenager may not always make the best choices. Margo’s growing up is heart-breaking, and though at times the plot is frustrating as readers see Margo making the same mistakes over, there is something about Margo’s will to go on and her capacity to see beyond the outer person that will endear her to readers.
Dying for Chocolate
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado
Review: 2nd book in the Goldy Bear Mystery series. Light, funny murder mystery book. This one has some twists in it just to take you a little off guard. Fun series to read.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado
Review: 2nd book in the Goldy Bear Mystery series. Light, funny murder mystery book. This one has some twists in it just to take you a little off guard. Fun series to read.
A Catered Christmas
Author: Isis Crawford
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: New York
Review: This is the third book in the Simmons Sister's Catering Mysteries. It's a typical woman sleuth, murder mystery. The interactions between the sisters is what sets this story apart from others like it. Funny, light reading that's great for summer. Recipes are included. Some are updated old fashion recipes and most look good. The first 2 books were fun to read too.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: New York
Review: This is the third book in the Simmons Sister's Catering Mysteries. It's a typical woman sleuth, murder mystery. The interactions between the sisters is what sets this story apart from others like it. Funny, light reading that's great for summer. Recipes are included. Some are updated old fashion recipes and most look good. The first 2 books were fun to read too.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Catering to Nobody
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado
This is the first book in the Goldy Bear Catering Mysteries. It's a typical woman sleuth, murder mystery. Funny, light reading that's great for summer. Recipes are included and look really good.
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado
This is the first book in the Goldy Bear Catering Mysteries. It's a typical woman sleuth, murder mystery. Funny, light reading that's great for summer. Recipes are included and look really good.
After the Golden Age
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Stars: 5
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: USA
This book is by the author of the Kitty Noville series. It is funny and different from that series. It covers a lot of territory from love, parent relations, betrayal to genetic testing. A nice fun read.
Stars: 5
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: USA
This book is by the author of the Kitty Noville series. It is funny and different from that series. It covers a lot of territory from love, parent relations, betrayal to genetic testing. A nice fun read.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Poisonwood Bible
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Stars: 5
Review by: Lisa McD
Destination: Republic of Congo, Africa
I've been generally interested in Africa and its history for a long time, but this book made me want to find out even more. The story begins with the arrival of Baptist preacher Nathan Price in the Belgian Congo with his reluctant family. The family's story is told by Nathan's wife Orleanna and their 4 daughters - teen-age Rachel, twins Leah and Adah, and 5-year-old Ruth May. The voices of the characters feel authentic and believable. The book has 2 major narratives. The first is Nathan's poorly considered attempts to fit Africa to his strict unyielding beliefs, and the family's attempts to survive in Africa. The second is the way a family tragedy and life in Africa alters the survivors.
Stars: 5
Review by: Lisa McD
Destination: Republic of Congo, Africa
I've been generally interested in Africa and its history for a long time, but this book made me want to find out even more. The story begins with the arrival of Baptist preacher Nathan Price in the Belgian Congo with his reluctant family. The family's story is told by Nathan's wife Orleanna and their 4 daughters - teen-age Rachel, twins Leah and Adah, and 5-year-old Ruth May. The voices of the characters feel authentic and believable. The book has 2 major narratives. The first is Nathan's poorly considered attempts to fit Africa to his strict unyielding beliefs, and the family's attempts to survive in Africa. The second is the way a family tragedy and life in Africa alters the survivors.
Welcome Back!!!
Welcome back to our Adult Summer Reading Club! Our theme this year is Novel Destinations, meaning that our reads can take us to many different places around the world. Check out the "Where in the World?" link on the club's website (http://www.hclibrary.us/adultsrc/adultsrc.htm) to see where we have traveled in our reading. The map will be updated once a week.
A new feature to the blog this year, as you may have already seen, is "New This Week." This column will highlight some of the brand new books at the library. Try some - you may be the first to discover this summer's blockbuster!
~Terry
A new feature to the blog this year, as you may have already seen, is "New This Week." This column will highlight some of the brand new books at the library. Try some - you may be the first to discover this summer's blockbuster!
~Terry
Sunday, June 5, 2011
New This Week
Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins)
A researcher at a pharmaceutical company, Marina Singh journeys into the heart of the Amazonian delta to check on a field team that has been silent for two years--a dangerous assignment that forces Marina to confront the ghosts of her past. By the author of Bel Canto.
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley)
The adventures of U.S. Marshal and vampire hunter Anita Blake continue in this follow-up to Bullet and Flirt when word is leaked to her that hit men are headed to St. Louis and that she, Jean-Claude and Richard are targets.
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews (St. Martin’s Press)
Ellis questions everything she believed after losing an all-consuming job, while Julia struggles with insecurities that threaten a loving relationship and Dorie confronts a maelstrom of problems after a shocking betrayal. By the best-selling author of The Fixer Upper.
The Kingdom by Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood (Putnam)
Searching for a missing investigator friend, treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo travel through Tibet, Italy and other countries only to find themselves embroiled in a black-market fossil operation with ties to a potentially history-altering skeleton.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins)
A researcher at a pharmaceutical company, Marina Singh journeys into the heart of the Amazonian delta to check on a field team that has been silent for two years--a dangerous assignment that forces Marina to confront the ghosts of her past. By the author of Bel Canto.
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley)
The adventures of U.S. Marshal and vampire hunter Anita Blake continue in this follow-up to Bullet and Flirt when word is leaked to her that hit men are headed to St. Louis and that she, Jean-Claude and Richard are targets.
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews (St. Martin’s Press)
Ellis questions everything she believed after losing an all-consuming job, while Julia struggles with insecurities that threaten a loving relationship and Dorie confronts a maelstrom of problems after a shocking betrayal. By the best-selling author of The Fixer Upper.
The Kingdom by Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood (Putnam)
Searching for a missing investigator friend, treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo travel through Tibet, Italy and other countries only to find themselves embroiled in a black-market fossil operation with ties to a potentially history-altering skeleton.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Just Jennifer
Jennifer White is a respected orthopedic surgeon who specialized in hand surgery’s and at 64, is experiencing early onset Alzheimer’s presenting with severe dementia. Jennifer has a hard time getting through the day, even with the help of Magdelena. Her two children are fighting with each other over the care and financial control of her money and now the police are questioning her with connection to the murder of her best friend, Amanda, whose four fingers were surgically removed. Told in Jennifer’s voice, fragments of conversations she hears, and entries from the journal she and Magdelena keep to try and help her stay in the present. Slowly, heartbreakingly, Jennifer and Amanda’s story is revealed. Both literary fiction and thriller, Alice Laplante capably renders Jennifer’s frustration with herself and her family as she slips from reality and loses her grasp on all that she has known. Realistically written, anyone who has ever witnessed the ravages of this horrible disease will empathize with Jennifer, her caregiver and even her children as they witness her slow deterioration. As Jennifer’s past unfolds and the police slowly put the pieces together, a sad and horrible, but inevitable truth unfolds. A haunting tale told brilliantly and with compassion.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
New This Week
Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take
Lady Blue Eyes My Life with Frank by Barbara Sinatra (Harmony Books)
The widow of the Hollywood golden-era legend describes their courtship and more than two-decade marriage, offering insight into the highs and lows of their relationship as well as the intricacies of Sinatra's character, in a tribute complemented by family photographs.
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See (Random House)
A continuation of the story that began in Shanghai Girls finds a devastated Joy fleeing to China to search for her real father while her mother, Pearl, desperately pursues her, a dual quest marked by their encounters with the nation's intolerant Communist culture.
Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn (HarperCollins)
After they survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance, Honoria Smythe-Smith, a really bad violinist, and Marcus Holroyd, her older brother's best friend, fall desperately in love.
To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal (Little Brown & Co.)
Judith Whitman, in a marriage hazy with secrets, considers getting in touch with the love her life from 20 years ago, in this new novel from the author of Goodnight, Nebraska.
you…
The widow of the Hollywood golden-era legend describes their courtship and more than two-decade marriage, offering insight into the highs and lows of their relationship as well as the intricacies of Sinatra's character, in a tribute complemented by family photographs.
A continuation of the story that began in Shanghai Girls finds a devastated Joy fleeing to China to search for her real father while her mother, Pearl, desperately pursues her, a dual quest marked by their encounters with the nation's intolerant Communist culture.
After they survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance, Honoria Smythe-Smith, a really bad violinist, and Marcus Holroyd, her older brother's best friend, fall desperately in love.
Judith Whitman, in a marriage hazy with secrets, considers getting in touch with the love her life from 20 years ago, in this new novel from the author of Goodnight, Nebraska.
Just Jennifer
Using interpersonal relationships at home and at work, Dan Ariely explores the what motivates us and how decisions and choices that we make that appear to be positive can really have a negative result and vice versa. He discusses the tipping point when large bonus can make CEOs less productive and how irrational behavior often results in the most rational of decisions. Using detailed case studies from the world of academia along with personal anecdotes from his life, including the life-threatening, life altering, accident he had Ariely brings a personal touch to this logic and it makes sense. He has an airy style and makes wry, witty comments that make this easy reading. At the end of each chapter, and the end of the book, he sums up his findings and how they can be applied so we all have a more productive, fulfilling life.
Just Jennifer
Ingrid, quiet, reserved librarian, her wilder, more outgoing sister Freya and their mother Joanna Beauchamp are living at the tip of Long Island in North Hampton, a Brigadoon sort of place where things aren’t always as they seem. During the Salem witch trials, the three Beauchamps where released from the civil courts but they were ordered not to practice their witchcraft anymore by their council. Now, as Freya is on the verge of getting married, she is finding herself out of sorts and her malaise is spreading to the patrons of the bar she tends. Knowing that with a few simple love potions, Freya can make some of her friends happy, and that’s really not magic, is it? At the same time, Ingrid knows she can help fellow librarian Tabitha and her husband with their infertility issues, and since a lot of it involves positive and more relaxed thinking then that’s not really witchcraft either, is it? Little by little, the sisters begin to weave their magic around the town, all in the name of helping friends and neighbors. When a young woman goes missing after drinking one of Freya’s potions, some people in the town begin to cry “witch” and the Beauchamps find themselves accused of crimes they did not commit, nor cause to be committed. As Freya and Ingrid try to find the cause of all the evil that seems to be surrounding North Hampton, their past is slowly revealed, even secrets they kept from each other and some Joanna kept from them, all of which put together may help free the town from the forces that seem to have the town in its clutch. With an easy, breezy style (and some steamy sex scenes thrown in), Melissa de la Cruz, a popular author for young adults, brings Ingrid, Freya and Joanna to life with a touch of magic. The plot has some complicated twists and turns and a cliffhanger that is sure to have you waiting for the next installment.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Just Jennifer
Written in short chapters, native Australian writer John Baxter highlights many of his favorite walks in Paris, liberally sprinkling this historical, literary cultural, and shopping guide with his own reminiscences, lending a personal touch to an oft written about subject. Baxter includes his favorite things, the delicious food among them, and highlights things, such as a winter’s day after a snowstorm, that the normal traveler might not find beauty in. This is an easily accessible book that could be used as pocket guide as you stroll the Left Bank of the Seine, or it will transport armchair travelers to the City of Light. Baxter includes in his vignettes some of the seedier sections of Paris, but he describes them with an amused eye, making them seem like a wonderful adventure. His enthusiasm and love for the city comes through in his descriptions. Navigational and planning tips in the back will help travelers get the most out of their visit to Baxter’s beloved city.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Just Jennifer
As a young adult, Phoebe lived a rough and wild life, dating the wrong men, living on the edge. One evening, she sees a little boy through a window in his house. His sister Lisa has just gone missing in the woods of Vermont. Fifteen years later, that boy, Sam, and Phoebe, ten years his senior are in love and trying to escape their pasts. Sam is contacted by his cousin Evie, with whom he lost contact shortly after Lisa’s disappearance. Once Evie enters Sam and Phoebe’s lives, everything they believed to be true is torn apart and nothing is as it seems. Evie claims to have Lisa’s fairy book that was lost after her disappearance. As Phoebe learns more, she is not sure of everything she knows about Sam, or thought she knew about his family, and knows that the dark man who used to lurk about when she was a child has returned, but can’t place who he his or what he wants. The plot gets very complicated and woo-woo and hard to summarize without plot spoilers; it alternates between Sam and Phoebe’s present and the summer fifteen years ago when Lisa disappeared into the land of the fairies. Nothing is as it seems and Phoebe is beginning to think that nothing she knows is real. Slow in places, and awkward in transition between years at first, it takes a little bit to get into the book, but once things start happening, it will make you wonder what is going on. The ending is not quite as satisfying as it might be and leaves many questions unanswered, but all in all, a good choice for a quick, scary read on a warm summer’s day.
Just Jennifer
Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton by Richard Horan (Harper Perennial, April 2011)
Richard Horan gets an idea one day: he will visit the homes of historical and literary figures he greatly admired, collect seeds from important trees there, then plant the seeds, nurture the saplings, then what? It’s the “then what”, the absence of a completely formed plan that keep this intriguing travelogue from being extraordinary. Horan’s seed collection begins accidentally and without much rhyme or reason. Horan visits homes such as Lincoln’s, Twains, Faulkner , Washington
Just Jennifer
Retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney is trying to readjust to life in the quiet Catskills of New York State with his wife Madeleine after recently coming out of retirement to solve a murder and almost getting killed in the process. Dave is feeling restless, but Madeleine is insistent he learn to enjoy their new life. When he gets a call from a former crony, Jack Hardwick teases Dave with a case that captures his imagination and lures him back into a life of investigation. Young rich girl Jillian Perry was murdered, decapitated, on her wedding day to older Scott Ashton, a pop-media superstar psychiatrist and the Mexican gardener, Hector Flores, is the prime suspect. Four months later, however, no one has seen hide nor hair of Hector and the next door neighbor’s wife, who was rumored to have been having an affair with Hector, has also vanished. Gurney can’t investigate officially nor does he have a PI license, but when Jillian’s mother offers to hire him to look into her daughter’s murder as a private citizen, he is too intrigued not to say yes. The more Dave looks into the case, the stranger, and more impossible, it seems to get. Nothing is as it seems and someone who is very smart is pulling the strings, but Dave is clever and begins looking at things in new ways and as new patterns emerge, he can hardly believe what he is seeing. Shut Your Eyes Tight is a thinking thriller, full of “what-if’s” and subtleties that even the most careful reader may miss. Gurney wrestles with many demons and is an empathetic character as he struggles to find his new place in his & Madeleine’s world. Using a seminar Gurney is teaching at the police academy on undercover work, Verdon neatly weaves in reasons for Gurney making the leaps and suppositions he does. Jillian’s murder is disturbing, as is the motive and what Gurney uncovers, but there is little graphic violence described to overshadow the thoughtfulness required to follow Gurney’s investigation and consider what may happen next.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Just Jennifer
Long Gone by Alafair Burke (Harper, July 2011)
What would you do if you walked into work one day and found everything gone and your boss dead on the floor? What if you then find yourself the suspect in this man’s death and then realize you have been part of a bigger scam, something that makes you question everything you’ve ever known in your life. This is what happens to Alice Humphrey, daughter of Oscar winning movie director Frank Humphrey. After Alice was laid of from her job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she spent many long months trying to find a new job. When she meets Drew Campbell at a gallery opening and he offers her the chance to manage a gallery, essentially as her own, she thinks the offer is too good to be true, but decides she has nothing to lose. Nothing but her entire life, she quickly learns. After the first show is on the walls, the gallery becomes the focus of a zealous church leader who accuses the gallery of peddling child porn. The next day when Alice shows up at work, the gallery has been stripped clean of everything, Drew is dead on the floor and all evidence points to Alice. She is thrust into a vortex of lies and misperceptions as she learns that the gallery was set up as if she were the owner that a character named Drew Campbell has been created, but it looks like, and uses all of Alice’s personal information. Not sure where to turn or who to trust, Alice begins to unravel a web of deceit and follows a trail that leads further back in her life than she could ever imagine. Long Gone is full of suspense and Alafair Burke slowly builds the tension as Alice searches for the truth. The plotting is very clever and there are “what-if’s” that cannot be imagined. This stand-alone is a compulsive must read.
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