This is my first Meltzer and it won’t be my last. I love the style. The author reveals a piece of the mystery at the turn of every page. Great suspensThis is my first Meltzer and it won’t be my last. I love the style. The author reveals a piece of the mystery at the turn of every page. Great suspense. I also enjoyed the Superman angle. Very interesting. I was a little disappointed in the ending. I wasn’t sure if I understood it all. I may have to go back and re-read it to make sure I understand. The author obviously did a great deal of research. Makes the book more credible. It isn’t just another mystery. A quote: “There’s the life you live and the life you leave behind. But what you share with someone else—especially someone you love—that’s not just how you bury your past. It’s how you write your future." Bravo!...more
From the Guernsey Island: Dawsey Adams-Finds the book with Juliet's name on it and initiates the first letter. Lik**spoiler alert** Cast of Characters:
From the Guernsey Island: Dawsey Adams-Finds the book with Juliet's name on it and initiates the first letter. Likes Charles Lamb. Asks Juliet to help him find a copy. Friends with the soldier who father's Elisabeth's baby (Christian Hellman). Mrs. Amelia Maugary-the lady that invited everyone to roast the pig Isola Pribby-She liked the Bronte Sisters. Eben Ramsey-Read Shakespeare. Liked the quote "The bright day is done, and we are all for the dark." His daughter and baby died in childbirth the day the Germans came. His grandson was sent to England. He now takes care of him. Adelaide Addison-Bitter woman. Does not want Juliet to write about the Society. Elizabeth McKenna-supposedly had a baby out of wedlock whose father was a German soldier. She was arrested by the Germans and taken to a camp. Has yet to return. Her child is being raised by the island. Clovis Fossey-Friend of Eben. Read poetry to his wife Nancy. John Booker-he only reads one book over and over the Letters of Seneca. He pretends to be his former employer and lives in his house and drinks all of his wine during the war. Will Thisbee-talks about religion and the soul and ego mentioned by Freud. Clarea Saussey-read the book of cookery recipes in the Society and was driven away. Sally Ann Forisher-wrote to Juliet about having scabies Micah Daniels-told about Vega box.
Review:
Oh boy...I should know enough not to rely on all the hype when deciding on whether to read a book or not. It's not like I really disliked this book. I was just prepared to be blown away and I wasn't. Maybe because of the format this book was written in. Letter form. I had a difficult time staying on track. I felt like I was missing things and had to go back and reread. I hate doing that. The idea of the book was interesting. To tell a story thru letters between several people made it seem very realistic. Some of the story lines were tragic. The description of the island makes me want to go there or study the history of Guernsey Island during WWII. I just couldn't get overly excited about this....more
**spoiler alert** I thought this book was extremely well written. However, as a reader, I felt totally cheated at the end. After 562 pages, I thought **spoiler alert** I thought this book was extremely well written. However, as a reader, I felt totally cheated at the end. After 562 pages, I thought the ending might have been more satisfying. More concrete. I was so mad, I almost threw the darn book. You spend that long reading a book and routing for the main character and when you get to an ending like that, you want to yell at somebody. Or, discuss it. I really want to know what other readers have thought about this book. Most of the early reviews have ranted and raved about this book. I am glad I read this. Just wish I felt better about it....more
**spoiler alert** Another fun read by Mansell. Mansell is great at weaving several plots together but not losing the reader's interest. Mansell's books**spoiler alert** Another fun read by Mansell. Mansell is great at weaving several plots together but not losing the reader's interest. Mansell's books are full of surprises from one page to another. I found it hard to put the book down.
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This one was about Tessa. She meets Ross and has a one night stand. The consequences of this meeting begins the tangled web. The characters: Holly-Tessa's friend who is in love with Ross's brother Max Max-Ross's brother who is not one of my favorite characters. He is in love with a very shallow actress named Francine. Grace-works for Ross and Max. Has some secrets of her own. Maxie-Grace's mother Antonia-having affair with Ross Richard-Antonia's husband. Meets and falls in love with Maxie
“He thought his mother was like a hunter who set traps and coaxed and baited until the animal was safely caught, and then she forgot she had wanted hi“He thought his mother was like a hunter who set traps and coaxed and baited until the animal was safely caught, and then she forgot she had wanted him and went off to some new project”. Interesting quote from this book. I have read quite a few books by this author. I have loved some of them and disliked others. One thing I am beginning to learn about this author, her character development seems to lean toward dysfunction. Not with just one character but several. This book was about Elizabeth and the Emersons. Elizabeth just shows up in the yard of Mrs. Emerson one day. How she appears in Mrs. Emerson’s yard is very vague. Elizabeth is then hired as Mrs. Emerson’s handyman and thus begins the story. The Emerson’s are very odd. None of the characters seem normal. That makes it difficult for me to enjoy a story. After finishing the book, I leaned a little more favorable to my thoughts on this book. The story was interesting. The character development was just too odd for me to relate to, leaving me with an uneasy feeling at the end....more
Connelly has some of the best quotes in his books. "There is nothing you can do about the past except keep it there." A quote from Mickey Haller when dConnelly has some of the best quotes in his books. "There is nothing you can do about the past except keep it there." A quote from Mickey Haller when discussing his prior addiction to OxyContin.
This was a fantastic read! Mickey Haller is taking a break from the law. After being injured, and becoming addicted to pain pills, he is planning on getting back into his practice gradually. When one of his colleagues, Jerry Vincent, is murdered, Haller has suddenly found himself back in the game. With 31 clients. Jerry Vincent had Mickey appointed to take over his practice if anything was to happen to him. Now Haller has inherited one of the most high profile cases of the day. Walter Elliot is a prominent producer in Hollywood and is accused of killing his wife and her lover. Enter Harry Bosch. Harry is in charge of the Vincent murder and he thinks Haller knows more than he does.
I thought Connelly was great at writing from the prospective of a LA homicide detective. He does an equally great job writing as a defence attorney. I can't wait to see what Connelly does next!...more
**spoiler alert** I was intimidated by the size and notoriety of this book. I was pleasantly surprised. This was an interesting story. Great character**spoiler alert** I was intimidated by the size and notoriety of this book. I was pleasantly surprised. This was an interesting story. Great character development. Steinbeck is a master, not only in character development but in the portrayal of the times placed within his setting of California during the turn of the century. Steinbeck took a biblical theme, Cain and Abel and used it to establish relationships within his characters. Many lessons can be learned by reading a Steinbeck novel. He created very likeable characters like Sam and Lee, as well as, evil characters like Cathy and Charley. Although Charley wasn’t always evil. He also took a character in Caleb and showed an interesting transition from a guilt ridden, jealous brother to someone who knew himself, recognized his weakness and worked on becoming a better person. I am so glad I read this book. I think I might like to read another by this author....more
#1 of the Jane Bunker mystery-If you like to read books about the ocean and the fishing industry off the coast of Maine, this was an excellent story a#1 of the Jane Bunker mystery-If you like to read books about the ocean and the fishing industry off the coast of Maine, this was an excellent story about that. Since the author used to be a captain herself, she has a lot to teach us about this subject. I thought the mystery aspect of this book could have been better. There wasn’t that much of a climax. And when the mystery was solved, it was kind of lame. I’ve read The Hungry Ocean by Greenlaw and thought it was great. I think the author’s attempt at mystery writing was valid. Hopefully it will get better as the series continues. ...more
For those of you that are big fans of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks or The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller, this is a book for you.For those of you that are big fans of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks or The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller, this is a book for you. This is not a romance novel. This is just a story. A story of 2 people, Clair and Martin, who fall in love as teenagers and love each other to the day they die. How they live their lives in between is the real story. I was frustrated a bit with Clair and the choices she made. She definitely sacrificed her happiness for a heartfelt obiligation. I would personally struggle with her decision. The author did a great job with this story from beginning to end. It's short and sweet with a little surprise at the end. Get ready to shed a tear or two. This is going to be another lifelong tenant of the Smith Library. I will cherish it. A quick little blurb on how I actually found this book. I was looking for the book called Grayson (about a whale) and did not pay any attention to the book the popped up. I requested it from Readers United without realizing it was the wrong book until it was too late. I decide to pull it off the shelf and give it a try. A true diamond in the rough. ...more
I read “Bright Lights, Big Ass” a while back and liked it. That’s why I decided to read this one. I must have not been in the mood for this. It definiI read “Bright Lights, Big Ass” a while back and liked it. That’s why I decided to read this one. I must have not been in the mood for this. It definitely was funny but I was annoyed with the random thoughts and the lack of flow. This isn’t really a story. It is a “memoir” of how someone who decided to lose weight, join Jennie Craig, Weight Watchers and a gym. Lancaster has a great sense of humor and a unique way of words. I think that is why I enjoyed her other book so much. I think one dose was enough, however. I didn’t enjoy this one as much and couldn’t wait to finish it. Sorry. ...more
This was a fascinating book. Although fiction, the reader gets a history lesson about the socio-economic turmoil that occurred right after WWI in the This was a fascinating book. Although fiction, the reader gets a history lesson about the socio-economic turmoil that occurred right after WWI in the US. Specifically, wages for community jobs like the police force, were at poverty levels. Working conditions were terrible.
Lehane sets up the story in Boston, a place he sets most of his novels. Danny is one of the main characters. He is a cop who gets pulled into the group of police that are fighting for better wages and better working conditions. At first, he is actually a plant trying to help his father and the Feds find out who is involved in unionizing. Danny’s father is a Police Captain. After being undercover for a while, Danny actually starts to believe in the cause and becomes one of the leaders against his father’s wishes.
Luther is the other main character. His story exhibits the racial atmosphere of the time. After losing his job, he travels south to Tulsa with his pregnant girlfriend. After getting mixed up in a bad scene with a crime boss, Luther is forced to leave his girlfriend and go on the run. He ends up in Boston and is employed by Danny’s family.
Woven throughout these two stories are exerpts of the life of Babe Ruth during this time. I am assuming the author is a big fan of Ruth and was eager to place him in the story somehow. It is an interesting part of the book, but not necessary.
The novel itself is told in such detail, it took me a while to get into it. But once I did, it became an enjoyable read. I like books where the story is good AND I learn something simultaneously. Although this is not my favorite Lehane work, I still highly recommend it. ...more
Wow! This book will stay with me for a long time. The story angle is unique and the writing was beautiful. There have been many books written about thWow! This book will stay with me for a long time. The story angle is unique and the writing was beautiful. There have been many books written about the Holocaust, but I don’t think that many have been written from the viewpoint of a German woman who lived through WWII as the enemy. Not as a Nazi, but as a German citizen who had to cope with the knowledge, or lack of knowledge, of all that was happening around her.
The author takes you back and forth between Anna’s story during the war and Trudy’s, her daughter, all grown up and trying to figure out why Anna has not revealed her secret past and who Trudy’s father is.
The writing style of this novel is exquisite. I thought the author did a fantastic job linking the two eras and stories together. It made this book so much more remarkable. I highly recommend this wonderful book. ...more
**spoiler alert** Characters Lil Bit-The Giantess. Her mother was mean and embarassed by her large daughter. Moved back to Atlanta after her husband di**spoiler alert** Characters Lil Bit-The Giantess. Her mother was mean and embarassed by her large daughter. Moved back to Atlanta after her husband died. Lil Bit's father was a gracious man. He was a lawyer and fought for the local Negro population. He died when Lil Bit was a teenager. The best thing he did was leave his wife $1 when he died. Lil Bit is a homely woman. She loves to garden. She meets a man, Walter, who she falls in love with. He likes to garden too, but he can't read. The "lie" breaks them apart.
Maggie-She is gay. Loved Lottie when they were kids. Became a doctor. Fell in love with Catherine in Atlanta. Left her when she was called back to Charles Valley.
Miss Peggy-drinks-has a bunch of dogs. She was raped by Grady, the local rich boy. She went to Maggie and Lil Bit for help. They somehow arranged for Peggy to work for Grady's mother who had just had a heart attack (Myrtis). Peggy got to know Dalton, Myrtis's husband and like him. She eloped with Dalton after Myrtis's death.
Laurel-Her mother hated the 3 Miss Margarets. Her mother was an alcoholic. Laurel had affair with local sherriff, Ed. She meets Josh, a reporter, at the bar and takes him home. She works for the local paper. She has lived her life trying to understand why her mother drank so much and why her father killed a man and died so young.
These are the main characters of this book. They each have a story to tell. I feel like this book revealed a small piece of the main plot page by page. Almost like putting a jigsaw together. It was a unique way to tell a story. I was moved by this book. Especially the part about Laurel trying to throw her mother a birthday party. That was heartbreaking.
**spoiler alert** I know there was a lot of meaning behind the story told in this book. I think some of it went over my head. But, I will try to summa**spoiler alert** I know there was a lot of meaning behind the story told in this book. I think some of it went over my head. But, I will try to summarize as best I can. Okonkwo is a successful man who lives in a village in Nigeria. He despised his father. His father was peaceful, lazy and owed everyone money when he died. Okonkwo vowed never to be like him. I think a lot of what he did was based on this hatred toward his father. Okonkwo’s life started turning sour after he killed the 15 year-old that was sent to live with him as punishment for another village’s murder of someone on Okonkwo’s village. The boy lived with Okonkwo. He loved him like a son. But when the Clan decided he should die, Okonkwo felt he not only had to go along but he had to participate in the slaughter. Soon after, he accidently killed a young boy at the funeral of his father. He was banished from the village for 7 years. While he was away, the missionaries came. They were not met with open arms. Some of the people converted, but a lot of the Clan wished they would go away. Okonkwo’s son converted and Okonkwo disowned him. At the end of the story, Okonkwo goes back to his village after 7 years. He is part of a group that is arrested by the missionaries. After their release, Okonkwo murders one of them. And that’s about how it ends. I am sure there is a lot to the ending I just didn’t understand. There were other parts of this book that I couldn’t see the relevance it had to the story. Like when his daughter is taken by the priestess. And the courtship of his friend’s daughter prior to her marriage. I didn’t hate this book, I just don’t think I understood it. ...more
**spoiler alert** I enjoy reading books written by celebrities. It helps you understand who they really are and whether they are genuine or not. Carol**spoiler alert** I enjoy reading books written by celebrities. It helps you understand who they really are and whether they are genuine or not. Carol Burnett definitely is. This book is about her life from when she was a child to when she got her break. She had a very rough childhood but she also had love. Her mother was definitely dysfunctional. Her Dad was not in the picture due to her parents divorce, his illness and booze. But when she did see him, he was very sweet to her. Her mother had her own demons. Pregnant with Carol’s sister Chrissy by a married man (Tony), she had the baby and kept it. Carol’s mom also dealt with alcoholism. Nanny was the root of her childhood memories. She came off as weak and elderly but she really was the rock that held the family together. She did everything she could to keep food on the table and a roof over their head when Carol’s parents couldn’t. Nowadays, if someone grew up in this type of situation, they would probably end up dysfunctional themselves. Not Carol. Carol, no matter how bad her childhood was, she played by the rules. She received money from an unnamed elite in Holllywood to go to New York and have a shot at Broadway and she appreciated it. She wrote letters to this person to let him know how she was doing and when she finally earned enough money, she paid him back. She rescued her sister Chrissy when things got tough at home and raised her from her teenage years. I admire Carol for her success but more importantly for how she has handled her fame. She sets a great example for people who have become famous. Especially for those who have started from nothing. I am so glad I read this book. I’m now off to find the TVLand schedule to see if there are any Carol Burnette Show re-runs to watch. ...more
This is the 2nd book I have read by Bill Bryson. I enjoyed it! I admire someone who can take normal life in America and write with such humor. I foundThis is the 2nd book I have read by Bill Bryson. I enjoyed it! I admire someone who can take normal life in America and write with such humor. I found myself giggling every few paragraphs. Such talent this writer has. Basically this book is filled with essays that are organized by chapters. He writes about all kinds of things about America, after moving to New Hampshire after living in Britain for 20 years. He writes about baseball, shopping, lawyers, over-the-counter medicine, drive-inn movies, computers, waste, airplanes and taxes among countless other things that sets America apart from other countries. The thing I love about Bryson’s writing is, I learn something as I laugh thru the pages. His outlook on things is sometimes like reading my mind and putting it on paper. I highly recommend these books and look forward to reading others by this author. ...more
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