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There's a little of Bernadette in all of us - the ranger, the avoider, the snob, the artist.  The well-adjusted among us keep those things under control, and that's how Bernadette differs. She hardly ever tries -  and never very hard - to suppress her urges. Thank goodness, or we wouldn't have such a good time reading about her. You'll find something to laugh about no matter what your own beliefs and convictions happen to be. Read this! 
It's difficult to find the right words to even describe how good Hunger Games is.  I would definitely place it on my top 5 list of all times and I have read hundreds and hundreds of books.Katniss is such an engaging character.  The reader is drawn to her instantly, as we are plunged into a futuristic world of oppression, poverty and despair.  Katniss has taken on the responsibility of caring for her family after her father died in a mining explosion and her mother shut down.  Katniss is daring and ventures out into forbidden areas to hunt and gather food to sell to the people in her "district".  Her only goal in life seems to be keeping her little sister safe.The government has set up a lottery in each of the twelve "districts" in this futuristic country.  One boy and one girl are chosen to go fight to the death with the "tributes" from the other eleven districts.  When Prim, Katniss's little sister, is chosen for the Hunger Games as they are called Katniss steps forward and volunteers to go in her place.Katniss goes to the capitol with the other tribute from her district, a boy named Peeta, and there they must put on a good show before the game begins.  If they set up the right image they could get sponsors during the game, which means they will receive gifts and help once they enter the arena.  Sponsors are the difference between life and death for many tributes so it is important to give the people what they want.The game itself is brutal.  It reminded me a tiny bit of the show survivor, only in this game you have to kill off all the other players.  Katniss has a slight advantage from her hunting and gathering experience, but she must also use her wits and bravery to keep herself alive.  Foreign alliances with other players can be helpful, but true trust and friendship is practically impossible since there can only be one winner.The book drives its characters to the very edge of their abilities.  We see how people react in the most primal and brutal situations: forced to kill or be killed.  I loved seeing the tributes come up with different strategies for survival, and how the game makers who control everything in the arena throw the tributes at each other through force and bribery.I read this book yesterday, and had dreams and nightmares about it all night.  While this book is reminiscent of "The Giver", "1984", and "Brave New World" it has its own voice and its own story to tell. At the end of the book you will be left starving for more and I can't wait for the next book to come out.  I still can't quite capture the essence or brilliance of this book through the words in this review, so all I can say is go read it and you will understand. 
I love this book! I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of Louise Penny's latest mystery novel "How the Light Gets In", the ninth in the series about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and the Homicide Division of the Surete du Quebec. I had already reserved a hard copy for the book's August 2013 release date because this is one author  I buy in hardcover; the better to savor her writing.  This truly gifted author has the ability to make you FEEL - so much so, that this is almost more novel than mystery - although there are three compelling mysteries entwined in this latest book.In talking about this book, Ms. Penny says "My books are about terror. That brooding terror curled deep down inside us.  But more than that, more than murder, more than all the rancid emotions and actions, my books are about goodness.  And kindness.  About choices." I guarantee she will make you feel all this and so much more.  She will bring you to the edge of your seat, make your heart pound in anticipation and ache as you feel the suffering of her always well-constructed characters. Because she also lets you feel hope and joy, the struggle between the light and the dark is that much more vivid.This book opens as Christmas approaches and the author deftly portrays the joy and anticipation of the season played off against the sadness as Gamache's elite squad is dismantled and scattered while unscrupulous forces are at work in the Surete. Who will settle for nothing less than Gamache's destruction? and that of his next in charge Jean-Guy Belavoir? A terrible alliance that has been 30 years in the making will once again bring evil into the heart of the tiny village of Three Pines and threaten all that the inhabitants hold dear.To those who have read all the previous books in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, you will not be disappointed, as her writing somehow is brought to an even higher level, her plots are even more complex, her characters more finely drawn.  We know these people and we care about them; we feel with them.I highly recommend this book, but if you find yourself curled up in your chair, unable to stop reading far into the night, remember you were warned.... 
This book is hilarious!! Laugh out loud, you’ll be rolling on the floor laughing so hard tears will be coming out of your eyes. And the banter…oh my…just fantastic.Simon & Caroline’s connection is fun and hot. Great anticipation. The story has the perfect mix of humor and romance leaving you wanting more. 
This book is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I briefly had a problem adjusting to writing style but once lost in the story I was hooked. This author is exceptionally talented. Many other authors might fill several pages with description while this author paints extremely vivid pictures with only a few brush strokes. I also enjoyed the conversational tone of the narrative. As if, Katniss was telling her tale directly to me in my own home and if you know Katniss, she doesn't just trust anyone. So the illusion that I might just be a personal friend and confident to Katniss was truly impressive. And oh, did I feel her pain, her rage, her despair! Not very often there comes a story that is truly magic! I mean, Harry Potter, was a story about magic and has the place of highest honor on my bookshelves next to the Lord of the Rings books, but this one is entirely different. This book made me apart of the action. It made me feel like I know the characters on a personal level and once I was back in my own world I was left with a feeling like I'd just had a visit from an dear friend. I can't remember if I've ever read a book like it. 
After Insurgent, the story picks up with Tris in trouble and Evelyn in control of the city.  Soon, Tris, Four and some others choose to leave Chicago and pursue the meaning of the Edith Prior video.  Most of the remaining story takes place inside a special facility a short drive from Chicago, where we find out what the story is about Chicago and the factions, as well as what it really means to be divergent.  Three-quarters of the way into this story, I was very disappointed.  It felt like the author was just going through the motions, and frankly, the story was boring and dull--lots of talking and philosophical introspection, but not much plot movement.  The last quarter of the book salvaged things for me and raised the story from one star to 3.5.  No, like a thousand others, I didn't like the ending, and I didn't think the ending was necessitated in any way by the story arc.  It seemed almost as if the author realized the story about to crash and burn, so she tossed in this ending to slap us in the face.  HOWEVER, the ending was well done and beautifully written, and it was quite evocative.  I thought the writing went from passable and average to excellent and gripping.  BUT, I'm only at 3.5 stars because the ending doesn't really fit the overall trilogy IMO.  So, for those that want a 'they all lived happily ever after' ending, don't read this book.  Stop with Insurgent and think up your own ending.  For those of you, who--like Tris--aren't afraid to jump off the roof into the net below, you should read it and experience the pain.  I just wish the first part of the book was written nearly as well as the ending.  Yo, Tris, you...well, you know what i mean. 
I am a big fan of Colleens' Slammed series and this book was just wow...amazing.  I couldn't put it down.  It kept me guessing and the story is just so emotional and touching.  This is that book...the one I would recommend to all my friends and will most likely find myself reading again because I just need to "feel" it again.  Thanks Colleen,  well done!!!  Keep them coming! 
The reviews of this book frequently use the word "delightful" and that's an apt word. The characters are charming, the period voice feels right, there are enough painful stories from the war to make it feel real without having so many as to make the book unpleasantly grim, and well, this is just a nicebook to read.I'd especially recommend it for fans of Helene Hanff's 84 Charing Cross Road; the tone and the literary references are so similar I'd be shocked if that book weren't one of the influence on this one.  (After all, even in England in 1946 were there all *that* many fans of Elia?)I'm subtracting one star for holes in the internal logic; I have some trouble believing that the island's inhabitants would be so happy to have a book written about them by someone they'd known for so short a time. People seem very quick to trust, in general, especially right after so many years of having to be so cautious of betrayal. I may be wrong, but I think the British reserve and the remnants of the class system would have played a greater role throughout than they do here; the language in the first part is perfect 1946 (I wasn't around; I'm using Hanff as a standard) but it's a bit less period-perfect toward the end of the book.It deserves four stars, though, because none of these things diminished my enjoyment of the book; they just left me thinking "But, wait-" afterward. 
In 1933, the newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed William Dodd to be the first United States Ambassador to Germany, under Hitler. Dodd, at the age of 64, would have preferred to retire from his job as a professor of the history department at the University of Chicago, and complete his memoir "Old South." Out of respect for the President and duty to his country Dodd reluctantly accepted the appointment.  With his wife, Martha, an adult son and daughter, set sail for Berlin, on July 5, 1933 shortly after Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.Though appalled by Nazi persecution of Jews, Roosevelt refrained from issuing any direct statement of condemnation.  He expected from Dodd to see to it that Germany pays her debts to the American creditors. Some of State Department's most senior officers harbored an outright dislike of Jews. William J Carr, an assistant Secretary of State called the Jews "kikes"; Russian and polish immigrants are filthy, un-American and often dangerous in their habits (P.30). It is very disturbing to read in the book the anti-Semitism that prevailed in 1930's among many Americans. Dodd complained that there were too many Jews on his own staff. The indifference and anti-Semitism in the U.S. obviously couldn't hinder Hitler's ascent and march of conquest with tragic consequences. Dodd was one of the few voices in U.S. government to warn of the true ambitions of Hitler and the dangers of American isolationists' stance. Most Americans wanted to stay out of Europe's squabbles. In June 1938, Dodd talked of Hitler's hatred of Jews and warned that his true intent was "to kill them all." (p.351)As a captive in Nazi concentration camp, I had been wondering; why the United States, a nation founded and populated by many oppressed immigrants, of different faiths, from many lands did not stop Hitler's genocide? Where were the good Samaritans among the American Christians?  They were expected to have compassionate regard for all people, not just some people! Where were the fighters for human rights? How could their humanitarian reputation be maintained when our suffering became unbearable? Why civilized nation did shirk their responsibilities to show pity for us. I doubted if the faithful, of religious denominations, said a prayer for our deliverance! Was it not a betrayal of basic human solidarity? Was it not a failure of the entire moral fabric of society? Even mass demonstrations, in the democratic countries around the world would have forced the German to stop or at least moderate their policy of Ausrottung (the extermination) of European Jewry. If President Roosevelt had been more vociferous in expressing his and the American people's indignation, the nonchalant world would have been awakened and protested the slaughter innocent people.. The indifference enabled the Nazis to victimize every Jew; subsequently not every victim was a Jew. Winston Churchill said: the Holocaust was not just a Jewish tragedy; it was the world's tragedy, because the world did let it happen.THE GARDEN OF BEASTS is compelling and horrifying. Larson is a masterful storyteller. Although much given detail does not pertain to the core story, the book based on Dodd's diary and the ancillary writings of others, is extensively researched, and very well written. The book makes history come alive. 
This was a book I didn't know what to expect at each corner.  You get settled down with a cup of tea and right away the author draws you into the mystery of what happened to the main character.  You get yourself captivated at each situation wondering if you would handle it the same way.  I like the main character was strong And didn't just fall into the typical extremely handsome, rich, Moody male lead.  The story line was good at keeping the reader encased but some parts of the final product fell flat. 
Pushing the Limits is a brilliant addition to the burgeoning mature YA genre that has recently become one of my favorites to dabble in.  This book takes two emotionally screwed up characters and tells the story about how they find salvation in one another.  This is not a typical YA novel.  Yes, main character Noah is self-confident, brash and tattooed, and main character Echo is beautiful, smart and funny, but that is where the  similarities to normal YA-type teenagers end.  This book contains copious amounts of swearing, drugs, sexual situations and heavily damaged people.  This is not your run-of-the-mill light and happy read about teenaged angst.This book changes point of view quite frequently, telling the story from both Echo's and Noah's perspective. Echo and Noah are both assigned a therapist at their Kentucky high school for vastly different reasons.  Echo has suffered an unthinkable crime against her, that her mind cannot bring itself to remember.  She has been left scarred, both emotionally and physically from this crime.  On top of this tragedy, she is dealing with normal high school angst - her social situation, her parents' divorce and her father's subsequent remarriage to her former baby sitter, her mother's disappearance, and her extremely strained relationship with her father and stepmother.  Noah is a foster child that has been moved between families several times in the previous two years.  Where he was once an all-star athlete from a Rockwellian American family, he is now considered a stoner and a punk.  He's very intelligent, yet refuses to take school seriously.  He hangs out with the "wrong" crowd and is best known for being gorgeous, yet a player.  He is only into one-night stands and smoking pot.Noah needs help, though.  He has two younger brothers in the foster system that he wants to gain custody of, and in order to do that, he needs to pass drug tests, pull his GPA up and find a job.  Echo is in need of extra money.  Although her father has money, he won't lend her any to finish fixing up the car that her deceased brother was working on before his death.  Echo is asked to tutor Noah, therefore earning extra money.Soon after Echo was attacked, she came back to school as a social introvert.  She was known formerly as the popular, beautiful girl who dated the captain of the basketball team.  When she returned to school after the episode, she had broken up with her boyfriend and was seen as a social outcast.  Her friends have been trying very hard to get her back into school society, and having any contact with Noah the stoner is a social faux pas.  The relationship between Noah and Echo gets off to a rocky start.  He sees her scars, which she usually keeps hidden.  Echo is afraid that Noah will tell the entire school about them.Noah has a chip on his shoulder, too, although he does not care about what his classmates think about him.  Noah came from an idyllic family.  He had loving parents, a home, a place in his school's society before tragedy struck him.  He is used to keeping his guard up, because  the state foster system has not been a good experience for him.  Noah, though, is ready for a girl like Echo, and he's been waiting for her.Noah and Echo travel a path of lows and highs in their relationship, each one trying to hash out their personal lives without hurting the other.  They fall hard for one another, but sometimes love just isn't enough.  Noah is still attempting to reunite his family, and Echo is still trying to reconcile what tragedy happened to her and who's fault it was.  Echo is struggling with her desire to be loved by those that matter most to her, while Noah is struggling with a never ending loneliness, a hole in his heart that he can't seem to fill.I have to mention that both of Echo's parents are not model parents.  We do meet Echo's mom and although she has issues that are out of her control, she is one of the worst mothers I have come across in literature.  She is selfish and unrelenting.  Where once Echo holds her mom in high regard, we learn how truly wrong Echo was.  While Echo is only looking for acceptance and love from her father, we learn about some terribly bad decisions he made that will affect Echo for the rest of her life.The ending of this book is action packed and emotional.  The two things that these characters are fighting for, Noah for his brothers and Echo for her memories and sanity, come quickly to a head.  We learn a lot about the pasts of these characters, and we see how they grow up and change through this novel.  Although both Noah and Echo have less than desirable pasts, they find refuge in one another and it's a beautiful thing.  This book is an excellent study in character development and I urge you to run to the nearest book store and pick up a copy. 
The Book Thief (New York: Albert A. Knopf, 2007), a novel by Australian writer Markus Zusak, accomplished a rare feat for Holocaust literature: the novel won numerous literary awards and became a long-standing international best seller, including being on the New York Times best seller list for a record of 230 weeks. What’s even more surprising about the novel’s success is not only its somber theme, but also the fact it’s a work of literary fiction (as opposed to genre fiction), a style of writing that rarely becomes a mainstream hit. Although the distinction between literary fiction and genre fiction is not cut-and-dry—for instance, Elizabeth Kostova’s novel, The Historian, fits both genres--I’d say that genre fiction places emphasis upon a fast-moving, interesting plot, while literary fiction privileges psychologically nuanced characterizations and a unique narrative style.Death characterized the Holocaust, and Death is the real narrator of the novel, which begins with the heroine’s end: Liesel Meminger’s death, many years after WWII, after she’s lived a full life and had children and grandchildren of her own. As Death carries the elderly woman’s soul to the other side, it also takes and narrates her childhood diary.In the late 1930’s and early 40’s, Liesel is a young adopted girl living in Germany. She has her first encounter with Death when her brother, Werner Meminger, who is also given up for adoption along with her, dies on the train to Molching. He’s buried by the railway station. That day, Liesel’s obsession with books—and death--begins. She picks up The Grave Digger’s Handbook, a book dropped by the funeral director at her brother’s funeral.Shortly thereafter, the distraught girl joins what might be seen as a typical German family, with whom she bonds quickly. Liesel’s adoptive father, Hans Hubermann, is a loyal German, who served during WWI, but is not sympathetic to the Nazi regime. Despite his reservations, Hans is enlisted in the German army during WWII. Artistic and sensitive—a painter and accordion player--Hans probably characterizes the attitude of a vast majority of Germans who were not anti-Semitic yet were forced to participate in the Nazi regime. His wife, Rosa, is a no-nonsense woman with a sharp tongue and a loving heart. She washes people’s clothes to supplement their income but gradually, one by one, her customers fire her.Liesel also meets Max Vandenburg, a Jew hidden by the Hubermann family from the Nazis, whose father fought during WWI alongside Hans Hubermann. Liesel befriends him. When Hans becomes ill, she reads to him. He eventually recovers, in part, the novel suggests, because of the power of friendship transmitted through the act of reading. Liesel and her family have a close call with the Gestapo, as soldiers search their house to see if they can use their basement as a shelter. Fortunately, they deem it too shallow and they leave.In all respects, Liesel blends in with her adoptive family. Their hardships and struggles become hers as well. She becomes especially close friends with Rudy Steiner, a blond “Aryan” boy a few months older than her, who develops a crush on her. Although the girl refuses to kiss him, together they embark on many adventures, which bond them to one another. Together, they become book thieves when the Mayor and his wife also fire Rosa. Their love of books and of the forbidden, representing a kind of protest against the Nazi regime and against injustice in life in general, binds the two children even more.Perhaps the strongest character of the novel is Death itself, its main narrator. Death may be brought about by war and by the savage murders perpetrated by the Nazis, but it is not sympathetic to them. Rather, Zusak depicts Death as a kind of Humanist, philosophical character: humane and disapproving of senseless violence, hatred and destruction. In parts, Death touches upon the comic and the absurd, needing “a vacation” from its job during the war.I think the strength of this novel lies in its complex characterizations: the German characters in particular are nuanced and multifaceted, not stereotyped in any way. They too struggle with the evils perpetrated by the Nazi regime and try to help victims, as much as they can. In the end, however, they too become victims of Hitler’s war, as Rosa, Hans and Rudy all die when the Hubermann house is bombed. Rudy doesn’t even get to experience Liesel’s first kiss, dying seconds before she finally declares her love for him and kisses him. Only Liesel survives and gets the chance to have a full life.If I were to identify any weakness in the novel it would be in the narrative style. Since style functions as a kind of author’s unique fingerprint in literary fiction, it’s largely dependent upon each reader’s subjective taste. The choppy, short sentences and disjointed, subjective structure of the novel weren’t to my personal taste, particularly since I usually look for a dense, sweeping and well-informed description of lived history in Holocaust literature. This novel, however, is impressionistic in both style and structure. But these stylistic features also made The Book Thief popular with readers of all ages, particularly with young readers, who could identify with the characters and appreciate its accessible form. Due to its literary success, The Book Thief was recently made into a movie directed by Brian Percival, released in November 2013. The movie, however, unlike the book, received mixed reviews.Claudia Moscovici, Literature Salon 
I think I'm about the last person on the planet earth to read this book, and also about the first person not to absolutely adore these books. I had been told to read them for ages, particularly from Gail. The last 100 pages or so is really what redeemed it for me.My big issue with this book was the writing. It seriously almost made me put it down, but every time I was about to do that, the book would redeem itself slightly. The first third to half of the book was awfully slow. It was slow reading, but at the same time intriguing. I didn't really understand all of what was going on, so I wanted to know everything.I loved the characters. Most of them all had such depth and were wonderful. Rue was absolutely my favorite character of the book. I adored her. Peeta was a character I liked right off the bat. Katniss was an interesting character, but I found her a bit annoying. I just didn't like her thoughts. I found her flat and I didn't like her at all.Another thing about The Hunger Games I really did like was the world. I thought it was simply fascinating and I loved how Collins set it up.This was overall a good read, but it just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. I have heard nothing but glowing things for it, and while I loved all the character (minus Katniss some of the time) and thouht the plot was original and intriguing, the plot was slower and I really wasn't a fan of the writing. The ending though, was ace, and has me extremely excited for Catching Fire. 
As I was reading the publishing page in the front of the book in preparation for this review, I noticed that the hardbound copy is printed on acid free paper.  I know why the publisher went to extra effort and expense in printing this book- it simply is a modern masterpiece of devotional literature that you will keep for a lifetime.My first copy of The Purpose Driven Life, was audio.  Each morning as I walked my dog along the river, I would listen to another chapter.  Almost immediately I realized that the audio book was the wrong format for me.  Rick's insights into scripture are so good that I wanted to read them again and again.  Three weeks later, I bought a hardbound copy.For pastors, this book is a must.  To be sure, it is pretty basic stuff; but Rick's genius is to communicate the basics in a very delightful and insightful way.  As I listened on my MP3 player, I kept trying to make mental notes, saying to myself, That stuff will really preach.  For a pastor, there is a years worth of sermon ideas and outlines you will be able to expound on.Most devotional books I find to be disappointing, so much so, I gave up reading them.  I am sure glad that I gave Rick a chance.  Every Sunday I beg my congregation to purchase this book, telling them that it will give them a foundation to build their Christian life.By the way, I was especially appreciative of Ricks use of multiple translations in his quoting of Scripture.  It gives the reader (or hearer) a fresh perspective on already familiar passages.  Good job, Rick, you done good! 
If there is one author on this planet that doesn't get enough credit for her genius, it is Colleen Hoover. With every book she has published, I swear she can't possibly get any better, could not possibly top herself. And yet she does. Every. Single. Book. is better than the last. And that says a lot considering her first book was Slammed. I mean, seriously?? How does she do it? I am in complete awe. I say it every time, I know I do, but my admiration and respect of this author has reached New heights.Hopeless was a phenomenal book. The story was heartbreaking... the story of Hope/Sky and her life literally broke me. The love story between Sky and Holder was a beautiful one, undeniably so. But Losing Hope just took all my love for this story and multiplied it exponentially.First off, we met Dean Holder again but we get to know him in a whole new way. A way that makes me love him even more than I thought I already had. His telling of his sister's suicide was possibly the most heart wrenching depiction of a suicide I've ever read. Suicide is always tragic, of course... But unless you've lived through that kind of personal loss, I think we take the depth of this kind of tragedy for granted. Well Colleen Hoover takes you there. Dean's story shredded me. I found the entire story line surrounding Les... Her childhood, her utter hopelessness, her subsequent death... I found it almost more heart breaking than Sky's story. It just struck a chord with me this time around that I will never get over. Colleen Hoover really nails you in the gut with Les' suicide, it's agonizing to think of what lead Les to this place of feeling absolutely nothing anymore and her willingness to give it all up. I could taste Dean's feeling of hopelessness, of second guessing everything he could have said or done differently to save his sister from something that seems so preventable but in reality, was near impossible to save her from. I felt every ounce of anger he felt toward her about what she left behind, his anger toward her for what he and her family were left to deal with, the pain that never went away. And the letters... the letters made me laugh, cry, get angry... they were perfect. They kept Les alive in her absence, they created this amazing dynamic within the story that would have been virtually impossible to achieve any other way. We got to know Les, we grew to know the relationship between the siblings through these letters, we felt the range of Dean's emotions through his writing. It was just a perfect element that added so much to this book.Getting to relive the love story between Sky and Dean again was an amazing thing... But there's just something magical about getting it all from Dean's point of view. All those blanks filled in, all those stones unturned. You just get the whole package with a sequel from the other partner's perspective and it really gives you completion and satisfaction and closure that the love you know Sky felt for Dean is reciprocated tenfold. But knowing what Dean felt for Sky, what he felt for Hope, and knowing the pain he had lived with for years in between literally stole my breath away. It's a miracle this guy came out of all that he endured... all that he carried on his shoulders since he was practically a toddler, really. Yes, Hope disappeared when they were five. But he was her rock for years before that, just holding the pinky of the sad little girl next door. And with Losing Hope, you're treated to this amazing miracle of how he felt finding her again and how truly miraculous it is that his love for Hope and his love for Sky were both independent from each other, but yet undeniably connected. It's as if no matter where Hope went, had she never even gone anywhere, or whether or not Hope did or didn't end up as Sky, Dean Holder was meant to love her.This story is so layered. I'm still sitting here trying to get my chin off the floor as I go over and over the web that Colleen Hoover has woven with this book. The links between these characters, no matter how separated they thought they had become, how lost they believed they were to each other... their lives were so tied up in each other. Aside from the obvious, that Dean and Sky lived within miles of each other without ever knowing so, so much about how severely their lives overlapped, how one's decisions and choices and actions effected the others without ever consciously knowing it... it's absolutely awe inspiring to think about what Ms Hoover created here. Brilliant is really the only word I can use and I still don't believe that does the book justice. You live this book.I think too often an author attempts to retell a story from the male perspective and it becomes a story of cut and paste. You come out of it feeling like you just reread a story you already knew. This book is like reading an entirely different story. You think you know this story, you think you know the plot because you read Hopeless... You believe you know these characters and their story of how it began, how it ended and everything in between. But here's a bomb... You know nothing. You know nothing until the very last page of Losing Hope, when you finally have all the pieces, the completed puzzle... You have closure, you find peace with this story. You learn forgiveness in this book, you regain hope. This book is amazing. This book is a masterpiece of epic proportions. 
Wow. I didn't intend to read Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl when I did. Two other books sat on the top of the reading pile, begging for a thorough read, the Amazon reader review thing, and so on. But one dark day, I needed a book with an edge to it, and having peeked at a sample page of Gone Girl already, I knew where to find that edge.Gone Girl is the story of Nick and Amy, a seemingly perfect couple to anyone looking in from the outside. But at the start of the book, on the couple's fifth anniversary, when Nick comes home to a ransacked living room and a missing wife, the marriage has already deteriorated to a far from perfect state. Talk about your love hate relationship. Nick and Amy have one in spades at this point - mostly hate, but with love so excruciatingly painted around the edges you can't imagine a better combination.Nick's clumsy handling of himself during the police investigation and an accumulating, increasingly-damning pile of evidence soon point the finger at him as the murderer. We, the readers, don't know whether he is one or not, even though we've been reading most passages from his first person point of view.So is he or isn't he? I won't spoil it. Let me instead touch on two compelling aspects of this novel. First, Gillian's voice is one that many writers would kill for (bad pun, I know). Through the first half of the book she alternates her passages from Nick's point of view (written in a Jess Walter voice, and you never think for one second that hmmm this is a woman trying to write from a man's POV), and Amy's point of view as found in diary entries written before the climactic murder or abduction or whatever actually happened (because I still refuse to tell). Amy's voice is much different than Nick's and I love that. She's brilliant and has a fascinating perceptiveness about each of those many people who just can't help but revolve around her irresistible gravitational force.The other can't-put-it-down aspect of this novel is the quick pacing both before and after a sudden switch in plot halfway through. By that point, as a reader, you think you know the whole story and how it will all end, and you can't imagine what the second half of the book will be for.  Why isn't this a novella? What's coming next?What's coming next is motive, and true circumstances, plans going awry, plans being reshaped, and a remarkable elevation of compromise to an art form.I loved this book.Joe 
It's 1962, a time when escalating tensions are rising between African-Americans (then known as "coloreds") and their white employers and neighbors! Told from three different points of view, this story probes the intimate thoughts about what it's like for the maids of wealthy and middle class white people in Jackson, Mississippi. It's more than just hard, hard work; it's trying to survive in a constantly demeaning, life or death survival environment! That may sound trite, but trust this reviewer - these accounts are absolutely riveting, heart-stopping and poignant in ways that put new definitions on these commonly used terms!A young woman, Miss Skeetter, wants to be a journalist while her family and friends believe that finding a husband is all that matters, no matter what one's educational background is. Her first question that opens the central plot is to ask if one of the maids, Aibleen, wishes things were different.Aibleen never gets to complete the conversation, but she remembers the comment as she continues to care for three-year-old Mae Mobley. Aibleen, like other hired "help," is more of a mother to Mae Mobley than her own distant, punishing mother by birth. The pain Aibleen feels over this coldness is stunning when one learns the numbing background of her own deep loss. Yet through it all, Aibleen's quietly muttered thoughts and written prayers to God make the reader roar with laughter and ponder what's important in the schemes and nonsense of daily family life. It is she who provides the impetus for Miss Skeeter's project, to get a few black women to talk about the joys, sorrows, challenges and downright insanity of their service employment.Then you'll meet Minnie, another maid who doesn't keep jobs too long because of her outspoken, funny, but offensively blunt comments to her employers. When that doesn't work, lies will do to get rid of her since she obviously doesn't know her "place" in this cold, tough world! Her challenges include a violent home life and an employer who is from the seedier side of Southern life, what used to be called "white trash." Miss Celia is lonely and constantly striving to fit in, but it's clear she doesn't have a clue about much!The project begins on a wrong note and seems doomed to die before it gets going, but tragedy will change all that. Then the reader will be just as stunned at the gritty, fiercely determined nature that arises in a dozen women to tell their tale despite what just might be brutally lethal results. They express their fury and their hysterical barbs as well at the turn of a plan by whites to create toilets for the "diseased" help.So many other characters and events fill these 464 wonderful pages. This reviewer hardly ever says this about any book, but this is a book you will not be able to put down and will be so, so sorry when it's over. It will change hearts and minds wherever it's experienced!This is Kathryn Stockett's first novel, a brilliant, potent celebration of astonishing and noteworthy hope for light to surmount darkness, be it in a person's color or behavior! The Help is a wonder to behold and cherish!Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on December 29, 2008 
Re; the Girl with the dragon Tattoo & the Girl who played with firehave read both and note that the new novel 'the girl who played with fire' is much better. it makes the characters believable by going in detail into their history and resulting psychological profiles, at the same time it is a white knuckles thriller.I strongly recommend this book.for some strange reason it was available in English prior to Christmas everywhere except USA. cant wait for the third book in the series, will there be a fourth? apparently Larsen wrote half of the 4th before suffering a fatal heart attack. 
Story is intriguing though incredulous. But I felt the book dragged on a bit too long. I did not feel compelled to any of the characters. 
When I first started reading Gone Girl, I almost stopped after discovering it is a dual narrative. To put this in perspective, the last book I had finished was Allegiant, of the Divergent series, and had it been an actual paper book I was reading rather than the kindle app on my iPad, I would have set it on fire. It was the worst experience I've ever had as far as books go, and a large part of that was due to the dual narrative.I am so glad I didn't stop reading because let me tell you, HOMEGIRL ROCKED THE DUAL NARRATIVE.It was like an illness. I COULD NOT STOP. I kid you not, I called in sick for work one day because I reached an especially exciting point in the book the night before, and couldn't bear waiting another 8 hours before continuing.And then I thought I would crap myself once the second part started.And then the third part started and I was just slack-jawed at the insanity exhibited by these two.It's a horrifying tale of "if I can't have you nobody can" wrapped up with some soul-crushing dependence, all told through a who-dun-it type of story. I will read this again and again, that is for dang sure. 
I usually choose my yearly 100th book to read based on it meaning something to me, but this year I couldn't come up with anything, but then I remembered this book. I have a few friends, one in particular (hi, <a href="[...]">Lisa</a>!), who have been hounding me to read these for a while. Honestly, it's YA, it's somewhat SciFi and the description just didn't seem to grab me. But I decided that my 100th book would be a nod to my friends and family that are always telling me "Oh, you HAVE to read this book". So, then...I got about 5% into the book and was completely disgusted. I think I may have called Lisa a very bad name. You see, I could NOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN. It was darn well nearly physically attached to my hand. I lost sleep, I gasped in certain places, I yelled "no!" a few times, I was, in short, insane for the day it took me to read this one.The author completely sucks you into this world of the future. Of kids dying as sacrifices to the capital. Of a love triangle. Of family bonds. Of humanity. There is so much going on in the book that it seems like it would be confusing, but in reality, you are so caught up in the entire story that it doesn't matter. It's all-encompassing. It's all-consuming. It's, as Lisa told me, un-put-down-able.There are scenes that rip your heart out in this book. I had to remind myself when I was done that it was YA (Young Adult) because I enjoyed it immensely. Most YA material I can take or leave but this had me hitting the "buy" button for the next in the series within 2 minutes of finishing it.This one makes my must-read list for 2010. I also do not know how to recommend this for, I simply cannot come up with anyone that might not enjoy it. I am not sure I would let my 7-year-old read it, but my 10-year-old would probably enjoy it just as much as my mother or my 70-year-old grandmother would. Read it. Seriously. 
I was anxious to read The Host because i wanted to try a Stephanie Meyer book that wasn't Twilight related. I thought the book started out good and interesting but it definately slowed down in the middle to the end. I was worried i wasn't going to finish it but i did and i am glad. First off it did not feel like a romance novel i'm pretty sure she didn't try to write it that way. I like Wander side alot more then melanie to. The characters did get confusing at times. This book wasn't terrible but i didn't fall in love with it. 
Has hilarious stories! If you ever need a good laugh, this is the book you should pick up. Made my dad and I laugh so hard. 
The concept for this story is exciting. The execution by the author though failed to meet my expectations. The characters are thin and the plot flails about without direction. 
I don't understand the negative reviews of this book. This book is entertaining. It has a happy ending. What more could anyone want? It's almost as if people wanted Bella or someone else to die. I hate when people I love in books die. I'm all for happy endings. I also think some of the people who didn't like this book are not a fan of the series and are getting a kick out of bashing this book. I think other people who dislike this book might be concerned Moms who think the book is a little too mature for their teens to read. I'm so glad my parents never banned books for me. I think that's ridiculous. The only parts of this book I disliked was Jacob imprinting with Renesmee. Can I get a big eww? I'm not thrilled with the idea of grown men imprinting with baby girls. It's nasty. I don't get how anyone can think that is ok. It's just wrong. I also though Jacob's "book" within the book was way too long. The book dragged towards the end when the vamps were all gathering together and preparing to fight the Volteri vamps. I hated the name, Renesmee. I thought it was a joke at first. It's awful. I loved that Bella and Edward had a baby. Renesmee was adorable. I loved her. Her "talent" was pretty cool. My favorite part of this book was definitely the begining when Bella and Edward got married. I was shocked when I realized she was pregnant. I loved how the book took a dark turn when the pregnancy was difficult and how she born etc. I loved that this book was a little more adult than the previous books. I hope Stephenie Meyer realizes she has many adult fans and writes more books in the future for us. I enjoyed reading Bella as a vampire. I loved how she wasn't a typical newborn vamp. All in all, it was a good book. I'm satisfied. It's not a 5 star book, but most books aren't. 
The characters were different.  There was a bit of mystery, a bit of the supernatural, a bit of magic.  The ending leaves you wanting more and leaves the story open for another book. 
This is a suspenseful, first-person account of the raid that took down Osama bin Laden in May, 2011.  The author, writing under the pseudonym of Mark Owen, was one of the elite SEAL Team Six operators that participated in the raid (his real name has since been revealed as Matt Bissonnette).  The book debuted at number one on Amazon.  It does not disappoint.The first half of No Easy Day covers Bissonnette's work in SEAL Team Six prior to the Osama bin Laden raid.  After a cliffhanger opening that anticipates the climax of the book, the story backs up several years to Bissonnette's Green Team training.  He was already a Navy SEAL at this point, but he was trying to become a member of the elite Seal TEAM Six, which is composed of the "best of the best."  We follow his deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan, where the recounting of certain missions serves to establish the proficiency of the author and his team at their job.  This is rather standard fare for the subgenre.The latter half of the book is devoted to the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, including the extensive preparations and some of the political aftermath.  The actual raid is told in almost moment-by-moment detail, transporting the reader to the compound in Abbottabad.  The scene is described so richly that it feels as though we are climbing the stairs with the team as they close in on bin Laden.  Several maps and charts help us to picture the location.No Easy Day focuses almost exclusively on Bissonnette's training and deployments.  We learn very little about his personal life, which--combined with his intentional pseudonymity--makes it harder to connect with him emotionally.  This information was omitted for obvious security reasons.  He does share the toll that SEAL life takes on family life, however.  "Many of my teammates suffered through bitter divorces.  We missed weddings, funerals, and holidays.  We couldn't tell the Navy no, but we could tell our families no.  And we did often. . . . Work was always the number one priority.  It took everything out of you and gave back very little. . . . everything else in the world took a backseat" (106-7).  For those wanting a fuller portrait of a Navy SEAL's personal life, see the excellent book by Eric Blehm,Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown, which details the life of SEAL Team Six operator Adam Brown.Bissonnette does not engage in self-aggrandizement or bravado, which has marred some earlier books by former Navy SEALs.  The author seems to have a realistic view of himself.  He says at one point: "I am not unique or special" (298).  He does not hesitate to share instances in combat when he was afraid or made a mistake.  He occasionally engages in self-deprecating humor.  He regularly dishes out praise for his teammates.  Bissonnette says that today's SEALs have "evolved past being egomaniacs" (289).  Such professionalism is appreciated.Bissonnette states in the introduction that he has sanitized the book so that it presents no threat to national security.  The identities of those involved are masked; special tactics and technology are not revealed; and certain information is generalized.  The author says, "If you are looking for secrets, this is not your book" (x).  Yet none of these precautions affect the impact of the book.  There is still enough specific information to make the action riveting.Despite Bissonnette's precautions, the book is nonetheless generating controversy.  Some special operators have challenged his decision to reveal details about the mission, breaking their traditional code of silence.  The Department of Defense has threatened to sue because he did not present the book to the Pentagon for inspection prior to publication.  The author has responded by pointing out that many people, from the President on down, have revealed details about the mission.  He says, "If my commander in chief is willing to talk, then I feel comfortable doing the same" (298).  He claims that everything in the book has already appeared in other unclassified sources (xi).  I for one am glad that the book was released.  It shows that those who commit acts of terror will suffer retribution--perhaps even deadly retribution--for their evil.  This should serve as a warning to our enemies.At the end of the book are the names of those SEALs who have paid the ultimate price since September 11, 2001.  Bissonnette claims that he is donating the majority of the proceeds from the book to charities that support the families of these fallen Navy SEALs.  He encourages readers to donate as well.The book is well-written and a page-turner.  Even though the outcome of the book was already known, it maintains a high degree of suspense throughout to see how the situation actually played out.  I read it in one sitting.  Highly recommended. 
Welcome to the world of Amy Elliott Dunne and her husband Nick Dunne.  On their fifth wedding anniversary, a day Amy always celebrates to the hilt, she disappears under mysterious circumstances.  Nick is the prime suspect and does nothing to make his family, the media, or the public think differently.  Thus begins a highly suspenseful tale loaded with twists and turns to keep you eagerly turning the pages.  I am in awe of author Gillian Flynn's clever plotting and now anxious to read her two previous books.  To go more deeply into the story line would involve spoilers, so I will avoid that and just say Amy and Nick are two of the most dysfunctional, psychotic people you may ever come across.  Their story is riveting, appalling, and highly readable.  A smart and stylish golden couple who complete each other in every way, their story and the inside look into their marriage will have readers mesmerized from romantic beginning until the stunning finale. 
Wow. just wow.I had no idea what to expect when starting this but I knew I had to read it right away because I absolutely loved Slammed and Point of Retreat. It exceeded any expectations I had. Easily one of my favorite books of the year. The story was so touching and had me guessing the entire time I was reading. I was almost positive I knew the way the story was going to play out and was proved wrong with a seriously shocking and great twist. This book was written with so much emotion it was literally jumping off of the pages and consuming me. I am so glad this was released early because I was already having a hard time waiting for this!5++ stars. Another success by Colleen Hoover. 
Definitely the best book of the series but all 3 are highly engaging and worth reading.  I didn't know anything about this book when I bought it, but I had heard of it and wanted a good book to put on my brand new Kindle.  I seriously could not put it down, and finished it in one day and immediately purchased the other 2 books in the trilogy.I was surprised to find out that this was meant for kids! It is so captivating, and fairly gruesome.  Definitely the best book I have read in a long time, I would recommend this to any and everyone! 
If you aren't up to date on the publication and release drama surrounding the Cuckoo's Calling author, I'll give you a second to catch up. Good? Okay. The Cuckoo's Calling by J.K. Rowling was orignally masqueraded as a excellent debut novel by newcomer Robert Galbraith. In the statement "debut novel", critics reveal a bias toward letting some flaws slide and overlooking the less-than0stellar details of the book, while praising the good things it does well. Now that we know Robert Galbraith is not a newcomer, and no less he is the great J.K. Rowling, I think it's time we all looked at it through the lens of a regular critique: that this is the third outing of a well-known author... and it is also her weakest.The Cuckoo's Calling concerns itself with the apparent suicide of super model Lula Landry, who jumped out of her third floor balcony due to depression. Our detective is Cormoran Strike, a one-legged veteran-turned-private-eye, who finds himself randomly teamed up with a young woman named Robin, who was sent over by a temp service that he forgot to cancel. After receiving the assignment from a worried brother of Lula's, the two hit the streets of London to find out what actually happened the night the model died.The plot is surprisingly feeble, especially for a murder mystery. From the first few pages of the novel, there isn't anything particularly gripping or suspenseful about what is going to happen. You know two things from the get-go: there is a mystery and we will get a resolution eventually. There never was a "how are we going to figure this out?" or "what will we do if we can't?" moment-- Strike lines up a list of suspects and witnesses and goes through them, one by one, for 400 pages. Each suspect lasts one to two chapters, they tell there side of the story, and then Strike moves. Absolutely no clues are given to the reader during this time, and then somewhere around page 400, a surge of true information comes out and then the book is neatly wrapped up. This makes the plot structure very weird, like one long expository flatline and then a huge drop of a sudden resolution.But despite the plot, the writing in here is superb. It's what you'd expect from the first person to make a billion dollars writing books. The writing is tight, clean, and clinical at times, matching the investigative nature of the story. At first, this may seem a little jarring, and hard to get in to. A few of the paragraphs do tend to go on a sentence fragment or two too long. But the writing does it's job, never gets in the way of the story, and pulls the reader along the way... even if the plot doesn't.The dialogue in this book is phenomenal, easily one of it's strongest points. Each line of each character's speech is carefully written, hand picked to reflect their background, their views, and their characteristics. It is truly a treat to visit each and every witness or suspect and get their side of the story, even if that story isn't compelling. From Tansy Bestigui to Guy Somé, each character has distinctive speech patterns, a feat which does not go unnoticed after working through each of the novel's 40 or so characters. Sometimes the author even writes in Dialect, which goes well in every case except for one particular one (Lula Landry's birth mother, who's cockney drawl was a headache to read and interpret, especially for an American).After sifting through the various things this book has to offer, you finally get to the end. Many readers and reviews before me have praised this part of the book, but in my opinion, it was nothing special. The loose ends get tied up in a satisfactory way, but nothing shocking or surprising really happens, and, in truth, some of the motives for one specific character get a little murky and quite silly. Of the eight hundred million things that are clarified and revealed to the reader in the final forty pages, only one of them managed to actually surprise me, and it wasn't the "oh dang!" moment I was expecting from a mystery with this many high reviews.I'm not sure if my opinion on this book is going to change your mind over whether or not you read it. I mean, come on, it's JK Rowling, it's the talk of the month. You're going to read it. But I hope that my points inspired some thought in you over whether or not you enjoyed this book. As for me? I'm surprised this is the one all the hubbub is about. Personally, I thoughtThe Casual Vacancywas a much better book with a way more solid ending. 
I have a friend who was actually an orphan and on an orphan train, so this book is meaningful to me. I think the writing and the content is very good. 
This was a great book, until the end. Some parts were dark. Twisted. But after reading all those pages, some of which were redundant, it just stops. Like there should be part 2 which I would not read. Readers deserve closure. BIG waste of my time and money 
The Time Traveler's Wife never appealed to me because of the title.  I don't usually care for science fiction and time traveling, but my friend recommended the novel and gave me a copy as a gift, so I tried it out.  Just as I expected, I didn't care for the time traveling.  I found the first thirty pages terribly confusing as dates and ages jumped around.  For me, The Time Traveler's Wife had a rough start, but it picked up after the first hundred pages or so once I figured out the time structure of the story, and it culminated with the final scene as the best scene in the book.The book tells the love story between Henry, a librarian plagued with a genetic disorder that causes him to involuntarily time travel, and his wife Clare.  The story and concept are unique, interesting, and captivating.  They touch upon a wide variety of philosophical topics, such as love, free will, age differences within relationships, sex, waiting for love, and genetic therapy.  It provides a lot of material for both self-reflection and discussion with others.Although I enjoyed reading the novel and became engrossed in the storyline, I also found many faults with the book.  My main complaint is that the characters were flat.  The story is told with the alternating perspectives of Henry and Clare, however, I oftentimes could not remember whose perspective I was reading.  The two characters are too similar and are poorly developed as separate individuals.  Henry is clearly the main character, and Clare simply waits for him throughout her entire life.  Some people might find her relentless waiting as a testament to her love for Henry, but I found it pathetic and irritating.  She has no personality beyond Henry.  Furthermore, I found Henry interesting because of his time traveling predicament, but he is not at all what I would envision of as a romantic hero in a love story.  The author sets up numerous situations in which she could have explored their deeper emotions, but instead she only skims the surface.  Similarly, the author sets up some great supporting characters, but fails to give them any depth.In the end, The Time Traveler's Wife is not a bad book, but it's not a great book either.  The story and concept were captivating, but unfortuantely, the characters were disappointing. 
Weird, weird book. Very surprised considering its popularity. Had to finish it, though, and it was okay. I hate to say I wouldn't recommend it to a friend. Both characters were very odd and had several issues of their own. No real "good guy" I guess. Left me with a big ole question mark dangling at the end of this one. 
I was in the mood for some light beach reading. This book was perfect for that. It was entertaining throughout and I laughed out loud a lot! The characters were likeable and I could not put this book down. 
So beautifully written that you literally have to stop and close the book for a few minutes savoring what she's written. Her prose is so clear, so direct and yet so humorous that you smile through every paragraph.Gilbert is a born writer and one of the few I've read lately that make you turn immediately back to the first page to start over when you finish one of her books. Highly recommended. 
I have little respect for authors that borrow characters from other work (-5 stars) of their own, give them new names and toss them into a different story. No matter how interesting the storyline (4 stars) I feel as if the author is cheating, lazy and looking to turn a quick buck (  or meet an impossible deadline etc). The concept is intriguing (4 stars) and the pace satisfactory ( 3 stars) but it lacks the depth it needs to be exceptional. I was a bit confused at the beginning, thinking I was reading a second or third book in a series (i did check to make sure). The reader is dropped into the story with no introduction (-3 stars). It did not make sense. I ignored this issue thinking the story would evolve in a way that would explain. I later found that it was not important.  There were times when I did not want to put it down and was looking forward to my reading time (5 stars). The ending is completely set up for a sequel and when it is released I will read it with hope that she put a little more effort into it. 
The best thing about this book is: it is so simple to read and understand, and hence easy to remember.  The concepts laid down are so simple, and yet sometimes surprising.  Mr. Collins did not complicate the findings, and use very simple terms and stories to illustrate his findings.  Since the results are driven from detail researches, it adds certain credibility to the overall framework.  Ignoring the notes of the researches, the book only has +200 pages.  This is a must read of even the most busiest executives. 
As I write this, there are already over five hundred reviews of this book in ahead of me, so there would not seem to be much I can write about it that hasn't already been written. Given these circumstances, I'll cut right to the chase. This is a terrific book, and it is apparently just the first of six that will make up the entire "Fire And Ice" series.Tolkien is the standard by which I measure adult fantasy and, while my experience in this genre is limited, "A Game Of Thrones" is the most compelling and well-conceived tale I've found since Tolkien (and I liked Kay's "Tigana" and Brooks' Shannara books very much). It lacks Tolkien's deft touch of humor, but the plotting is intricate and multi-faceted and the characters have real depth, with elements of both good and bad in their personalities. Some are at once likeable but on the wrong side, and vice versa. Further, the "good guys" in this story are just as much at risk as the "bad guys". Death can strike down anyone, and it sometimes does so with stunning suddenness.The plotting is truly fascinating. Most immediately, the political and personal intrigue within the seven kingdoms is fast-moving and treacherous. But, beyond that, there is the Princess Daenerys, the last suviving member of the previous ruling house of the Seven Kingdoms, who dreams of returning from exile and reclaiming the throne for herself. Lurking beyond even that, however, is the ominous threat that "winter is coming". The great northern ice wall separates the Seven Kingdoms from a vague danger that is, as yet, only hinted at but which seems to be perhaps the greatest danger of all.This is great storytelling. A real page-turner. There's never a dull moment and, as a reader, I was always anxious to see what was going to happen next. I have the next book (#2), but book #3 doesn't come out in paperback for a couple of months and the remaining books in the series are farther down the line. I'm resisting the urge to plunge right into #2 for this reason, but I guarantee that I won't wait very long. Read this book. You'll be looking forward to more, too. 
When my dad read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a while back, every time I walked by him he looked up (or didn't, because he was so insanely engrossed in the novel) and said, "Natanya, you HAVE TO READ THIS." Although I knew that I would not be as blown away by it as he was (my dad spends most of his time reading emails, not novels, and he's a computer geek), I knew I had to see whether the novel lived up to the hype. And now that I've read it, I can say that the majority of it did. The real meat of the story--the main mystery--is quite the thrill ride, and I found it pretty impossible to guess who the "culprit" was until the end. I loved Salander and her various methods of getting information or making things work to her advantage. Blomkvist was a little blah at times, but that didn't really hinder the novel very much--he provided a pretty good contrast to Salander's unpredictability.However, the mystery is framed by this financial libel disaster that Blomkist got himself into, and, consequently, I found the beginning and end of the novel to be very boring. While I was largely able to ignore Larsson's often excessive amount of detail for the bulk of the book (some of which became relevant later, others which were really not necessary), I had to force myself through the first 75 pages or so of detail and financial crap that was relevant to Blomkvist's life, but entirely irrelevant to the rest of the book. I suppose it is better that Larsson fleshed out the context rather than just throwing it in as a wimpy reasoning for why Blomkvist could spend a year on this mystery, but, honestly, I have little interest in the financial world.But, while this boring frame (and maybe it was just boring to me) made the novel a bit less enjoyable, the bulk of it is much more applicable to a college age girl (at times terrifyingly so), and is also far more graphic, shocking, gruesome, and totally gripping. As a warning, though, it does get pretty gross at times, and I had a hard time falling asleep a couple nights after reading this. So you may not want to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo right before going to sleep, but if you like mysteries or thrillers, or are just looking for a hold-onto-your-pants ride of a novel, do read it. 
I really loved this book. It's got a great blend of science fiction and 80s nostalgia, all wrapped together in a plot that moves like a roller coaster.In 2044, most of humanity is plugged into a virtual world called OASIS, the brainchild of a genius named Jim Halliday, who was raised in small town America and was a child of the 80s. Halliday, before his death, left a series of puzzles and clues that would lead one lucky player to his fortune. Wade Watts (nee Parzival) wants to be the first to find this treasure, and does find and solve the first of many puzzles. Now the world is watching. Wade's friends Aech and pseudo-girlfriend Art3mis aid him, and he meets up with other virtual warriors (Daito and Shoto).  However, a large corporation, IOI, led by a man named Sorrento, also wants to find Halliday's fortune and they've got the firepower and resources to do it.The characters are all likable (with the exception of Sorrento) and the 80s nostalgia is amusing (Halliday codes his puzzles with dialogue from 80s films like 'WarGames'). The pacing is brisk; once Wade finds the puzzles, the action starts and doesn't really stop until the conclusion, where Wade must solve the final puzzle. The author thanks several movie executives in the acknowledgements, and I truly hope this book is made into a film. I can't tell which I'd rather watch first: this, or "Robopocalypse."This book is highly recommended. It doesn't matter if you're a diehard gamer, an 80s child, or a WoW guild member. Even if your only exposure to video games was watching "Wreck-It Ralph" in theaters last year, read this book; you will not be disappointed. 
This book was good, and I really did enjoy it (already started the second one). There were a few things about the characters that bugged me, but no one is perfect. I have read a lot of NA books and it was up to par, the sex scenes were hot and good (a little repetative at times but still good), better than fifty shades but no where near as good as "Rush" (the breathless series), that by far is my favorite. Overall it was a good book and an easy read (finished it in a day or so). The characters I hope will grow a little more in the second novel. 
This story line is amazing. I love the sacrifice. That author did an amazing job building characters and plot. Great read. 
The final book in the Divergent Trilogy left a lot to be desired... That being said, the book wasn't necessarily bad and I feel that most fans of the series will ultimately be at least satisfied with the trilogy's ending. (In other words, it could have been a lot worse.) There's not much I can say about the story without giving too much away; the action and intrigue that comprised the first two books is still present in Allegiant. Also present is the ensuing romance between Tris and Tobias. Despite having the core elements that made up the first two books, there were a few things that I took issue with in Allegiant...For one, this book is told from the perspectives of both Tris AND Tobias. I was initially very excited about this aspect of the book. However, I just feel that this idea was better in theory. The dual perspective was not executed very well. There was no real distinction between the voices of Tris and Tobias. If you were to open to a random page and read it you would not be able to distinguish who was speaking (except for use of pronouns, names, etc.). I feel that Roth should have spent more time developing a clear voice for Tobias instead of using the same writing style she's used for Tris's voice.I was also a little disappointed about what was "beyond the fence." Don't get me wrong, it was interesting and thought-provoking, but... I just expected more! I feel like the explanation for the secrets behind Tris's world were just very bland (for lack of a better word). The previous two books were just so mind-blowing that I expected the same sort of pizzaz from Allegiant, but it just wasn't there.Despite these errors, Allegiant really is a decent ending to the trilogy. Even though it doesn't necessarily end the way you want it to. However, its flaws keep it from entering the realm of 5-star books like its predecessors, Divergent and Insurgent. 
The series takes some very unexpected but not unpleasant twists in the second installment. This one is hard to put down. 
I rate books on how much of an impact they have on me and whether or not I will think about or want to discuss the contents after I've read the last page and closed the cover.The Roadis a post apocalyptic novel that will stay with me a very long time. The bleakness of the journey that this unnamed father and son embark on is quickly evident -- they are going south but have no real plan and no endpoint or destination in mind. They traverse an unrelenting and very bleak landscape of ash and burnt out flora, fauna and civilization -- devoid of any life except for the occasional creature that bears little resemblance to what was once humankind. The man and the boy stick to the endless blacktop, the road -- the only somewhat permanent residual marker in a very changed world. They walk by day, pushing a metal grocery cart full of their meager possessions, avoiding the marauding bands of cannibals and even the lone survivors as trust is not a trait they can afford to have when it is survival of the fittest at stake.Though the story is very grim, the love and protectiveness that the father has for his son is the only light in this otherwise very depressing narrative. They are all unto each other -- there is no one else and nothing else. Memories that the man has are soon discarded as his reality is faced with plugged determination -- a search for food, water, warmth -- merely to survive another day.I'm eager to see the movie based on this book and hope it's a faithful adaptation. This is definitely a novel that I will think about time and again as it haunts me with its stark portrayal of whatever comes after "the end of the world as we knew it."I gave this 5 stars, not because it was a pleasant story, but because of the impact it had on my psyche and my senses as I read it.I can't really say I LOVED this book, but I did live it.Recommend. 
If you're not DARING TO BELIEVE GOD for the impossible,you may be SLEEPING THROUGHsome of the BEST PARTS of your Christian Life.I really thought this book was thought provoking and insightful.  The writing style is very easy to follow.  Furtick uses a lot of great illustrations.  He also uses a lot of scripture to back his points.  The book really challenges us to pray big prayers and expect God to do big things for us.  He uses the term  "Audacious faith" a faith that challenges you to live with boldness.  I love the statement he used "A lot of Christians I know stagger through life in a daze. Suffering from posttraumatic faith disorder, they hunker down in the basement, open a can of Beanie Weenees, and wait for the end of the world."  This has a great and challenging book.I received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 
What a great book and start to an awesome series.Characters: 5/5Cassandra knows how to create great characters. The good ones are nice, the snarky ones are awesome and the bad ones wind you up. I love the humor she brings into the scenes as well.Clary - I like her from the start. Clary is easy to connect with and she is smart. Sometimes she can't see what is right in front of her but she keeps it together and is determined to find her mom.Simon - Simon is Clary's best friend and I love his humor and optimism. He is an awesome character. He is so witty and kept me laughing throughout the book. I really enjoy the comfortableness that is there in his friendship with Clary.Jace - I love his snarky and badass wit. He is smart, brave and just a great character. On the surface he is serious, honest and smart - underneath Clary brings out a more sensitive, caring side. Just like Alec says - Jace thinks he needs to save the world.Isabelle - I love Isabelle's way. She isn't out rightly a nice person but she isn't a mean person either - just really honest and a bit arrogant. My favourite scene with her is right at the end with Clary - where have a beautiful bonding moment.Alec - Initially Alec comes across really rude and offish, especially towards Clary. I could see why Alec seemed put out by Clary. It's as if Jace doesn't need him anymore and is utterly absorbed by Clary. I could see his troubles and I think great things will still come for Alec.Magnus Bane - I loved Magnus in The Infernal Devices. I don't feel he played a huge part in this story but I do think (and hope) to see more of him in the rest of the series.Hodge - Hodge is such a misunderstood character, I felt so sorry for him. I don't think he really knows where his loyalties and heart lie. He may have started off on one side, but near the end he makes some decisions to help people, regardless of what is in store for him.I cannot say I have one favourite character - I love them all!Plot, Pace, Writing style: 5/5The plot was captivating and gripping. Cassandra has a beautiful way with words and is an amazing writer. The pace is perfect and there is so much to build on in the books to come.Cover talk: 5/5 I love the covers in this series! They are beautiful and original.Final Thoughts:  I am really excited to continue this series 
This is a groundbreaking book, at least to me. I have read plenty of marriage and parental improvement books, but none that I recall address the potential pitfalls and methods of working with introverted individuals. Cain has an engaging writing and storytelling style that makes this book an easy read. I didn't necessarily think of myself as an introvert until I began reading through the checklist she put together at the beginning of the book. I knew I enjoyed my personal time to read, enjoyed expressing my feelings in writing and sometimes just had to get away from others, but only as I read this book did it dawn on me that these traits put me largely in the introvert camp. As the father of a possibly introverted child, there are some good take aways for me from this book as well. And the conclusion - talk about a life's manifesto! Overall, well done and fascinating read. 
Nell Hawthorne is an ordinary girl sweet and well educated. Kyle Calloway is only days older than her, for many years he is her best friend, until he admits his feelings changed and he becomes her great love. Their life is pure bliss until a tragic event rips them apart forever.The void he left and the guilt she feels make her life painful and she has troubles coping.When she meets Colton Klyle's older brother for the first time, he seems to accept and understand her. Some years later when they meet again their scared souls seem to recognize each other. Colton teaches her how to cope with the pain, how to let go and accept the pain.The love they develop is deep and fragile. Together they learn to love again to accept their pain and to, sometimes enjoy life.Oh Mrs. Wilder what did you do?I enjoyed your book wounded a lot and now you create two more characters that are amazing. I really enjoyed the rhythm, the characters, the story and the blazing hot sex scenes. I loved the fact that the reader understood the feelings without you having to explain and show everything. At the end I noticed that I was going to underscore every single sentence of the last pages... so I just enjoyed reading then and bookmarked the pages.Thank you a lot for this book I am really waiting for your next one.I hope you will enjoy the read as much as I did.Please keep feel free to comment. MBTM 
One of my new favorite books of all time!!! Colleen Hoover just writes perfection. My words cannot accurately describe how I feel about this book. It's brilliant. I loved it, everything about it. Holder is freaking amazing. Sky is the perfect book heroine. The story is fresh. I would recommend to anyone and everyone. So butterflying fantastic! 
Cade MacKenzie is a marked man. After his cover was blown while working to take down the del Fuego cartel, he saw the woman he was in love with taken away. He is no longer the man he once was. There is darkness in him that wasn’t there before, but when he moves in next door to Bayleigh Scott she awakens something in him that he thought was long dead.Cade is the definition of alpha male. He is hard, sexy, and in control. Yet his past leaves a trace of vulnerability that is very attractive. He is also cocky in a way that is a total turn on instead of off putting. Bayleigh is a tough one in her own right, but her insecurities are a little clearer. I love the way Cade just sends her into a tailspin!Hart delivers her readers a very sexy suspense, and I completely ate it up. Of course I have read romantic suspense before with the emotionally wounded alpha male, and the woman who brings him redemption.  It is a fairly common formula, but it is for a reason. Readers respond to it plain and simple. Cade’s story reached out to me, and I fell for him right along with Bayleigh. This is a couple that can crank up the heat! The scenes between the two are both sexy and erotic. The element of danger was also a plus.  I must say Hart did a wonderful job. I giveCade: A MacKenzie Family Novel 4 masks!After finishing the book my first thoughts were of Cade’s brothers and how I need to know about them. This isn’t the first MacKenzie family novel, but Cade stands alone really well.. My second thought was I want to review every one of them! All of the lovely readers out there who have been braving the subzero temperatures need to grab this read and let Cade warm you up on a winter’s night!**Reviewed by Teresa D. for ThatsErotica.com** 
I appreciated the way data was presented - very readable and engaging.  There is a little bit of a "Venus vs. Mars" feel to it but the book is helpful toward understanding different personality traits and provides good advice regarding how to navigate them, whether in personal relationships, parenting, teaching or workplace settings. I did find it a little repetitive but the book is clearly well researched and accessible. 
I love books by Micheal Crichton and buy all of them. I think his best were Jurassic Park and the Andromeda Strain. This book is entertaining and offers some interesting insights into 13th century mores,but the science  discriptions were missing and the story was not really compelling. While I  do recommend it, I just wish he would write something really gripping  again. 
***ARC received by Simon & Schuster for review***"You're trying to save him, and he's hoping you can.  You two are a disaster."I smiled at the ceiling.  "It doesn't matter what or why it is.  When it's good, Kara...it's beautiful."This quote describes Beautiful Disaster perfectly!  I had read a couple of good reviews about this book and when I saw Beautiful Disaster on NetGalley a couple of weeks ago, I decided to get it and planned to squeeze it my reading list sometime in the next couple of months.  But after reading a particular review by Debbie  at I Heart YA Books, I just simply had to put all of my other books aside and I HAD to read it right away!  I started reading this book around 11:30pm and I stayed up until 2:30am reading half of the book (even though I had to wake up at 5:30 the next morning) and finishing the whole thing the next night.  So yes, this book was simply unputdownable. (Is that a word?)Let me start off by saying that this book is not perfect and at times it was a bit of a disaster but that's why I loved it so much.  Travis and Abby were two very flawed characters with a lot of issues to work through.  For some reason these always become my favorite types of characters.  To me, it makes it even more special to see them grow and change and I feel like the payoff is even bigger at the end.  I know a lot of people really didn't like Travis but I absolutely and completely LOVED him, everything about him!  The good and the bad.  Yes, he can be a jerk and he has one hell of a temper and some major jealousy issues but all of these flaws just made him even more realistic to me.  Don't worry because he doesn't stay that way throughout the whole book.  Once he meets Abby he slowly starts changing, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.  But the important thing to me is that he tries to be a better person for Abby.  There is another character in this book, Parker, who is somewhat a love interest to Abby.  He was pretty much perfect:  good looking, rich, nice, good manners, Harvard-bound...and I absolutely could not stand him!  He was such a bore.  Maybe it's just me and maybe I'm not right in the head but I like reading about the messed up characters.  The more screwed up they are, the better I like them.  (Most of the time)Abby was a very complex character.  She has a shady past and has worked hard to move on from it.  But from the moment she meets Travis, she can't help but feel drawn to him.  Don't worry; this isn't one of those insta-love stories.  In fact, it's the completely opposite.  It's one of those almostexcruciating but awesome slow build-ups that pushes them together one moment only to have them ripped apart the next.  Abby and Travis have such a complicated and messed up friendship and their relationship is even more messed up.  Just like the quote above says, when things are good between them it was such a beautiful thing.  But when things went bad, it was definitely disastrous.  At first, I really liked Abby because she was really tough and she would stand up to herself to Travis and didn't take any of his bullshit.  But the closer they got, and the more blurry the line between friendship and romance got, she did some very stupid things which made me want to reach into the book and slap her a couple of times. (Maybe more than a couple)It's official!  I found my new favorite category:  New Adult!  I mostly read YA (hence the blog name) and as much as I love them I sometimes feel like there is something missing.  Well I found out what that was: sex!  This is another thing that adds a realistic element to the story.  I don't know why but it always bugs me when couples in YA wait until the third book to finally have sex.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not against waiting and I definitely love the sexual tension until then, but what is it about the third book that makes it ok then?  The relationship between Travis and Abby is scorching hot without being graphic or inappropriate.  It's also such a refreshing change to move away from the high school setting (and drama).  All of these things including the language make it so much more real to me.The plot definitely took a couple of crazy turns but overall, I absolutely fell in love with this book!  The only thing that I didn't like about the book was that Travis has this nickname for Abby: Pigeon or Pidge.  It briefly gets explained why he gave her that nickname although it didn't really make sense (to me).  I mentally programmed my brain to just read `Abby" every time the word Pigeon came out.  I also loved Shepley and America who are Travis and Abby's best friends (and also a couple). Travis and Abby are one of my new favorite couples and Beautiful Disaster has made it into my top 10 all-time favorite books.  I read on the author's blog that she is writing a companion to this book, Walking Disaster which is basically this story but told from Travis's POV!  Travis has some serious issues and I can't wait to get inside his head.  Counting down the days until we get to read a new perspective on Travis on Abby.Due to the content and language of this book, it is recommended for ages 17+. (New Adult)  Beautiful Disaster is not for everyone.  I have seen some pretty harsh reviews for this book and it looks like it's one of those books you are either gonna LOVE or HATE.  It's raw and intense and very emotional and it tackles some pretty serious issues.  Whether you love it or not, one thing is clear:  everyone is talking about Beautiful Disaster!  Read it and make up your own decision about it instead of staying away from it because of the bad reviews.5 out of 5 very sparkly stars!!!  A MUST-read!Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes from Beautiful Disaster:-"You're only making it worse by brushing him off.  He's not used to that.""What do you suggest I do?  Sleep with him?"America shrugged.  "It'll save time."-He leaned in close and whispered in my ear.  "I don't wanna sleep with you, Pidge. I like you too much."He walked past me to the bathroom, and I stood, stunned.Kara's words replayed in my mind.  Travis Maddox slept with everyone; I couldn't help but feel deficient in some way knowing he had no desire to even try to sleep with me.-I clinked my bottle against his.  "To being the only girl a guy with no standards doesn't want to sleep with." I said, taking a swig."Are you serious?" he asked, pulling the bottle from my mouth.  When I didn't recant, he leaned toward me.  "First of all...I have standards.  I've never been with an ugly woman.  Ever.  Second of all, I wanted to sleep with you.  I thought about throwing you over my couch fifty different ways, but I haven't because I don't see you that way anymore.  It's not that I'm not attracted to you, I just think you're better than that."-"Abs?" What are you a workout video?" he sneered."Pigeon?" I said with the same amount of disdain.  "An annoying bird that craps all over the sidewalk?"-I yanked his shirt over his head, fumbling in the dark with his belt buckle.  He jerked it open, ripped it off, and threw it on the floor.  He lifted me from the mattress with one hand and unzipped my dress with the other.  I pulled it over my head, tossing it somewhere in the dark, and then Travis kissed me, moaning against my mouth.***Read more of my reviews at:Nereyda @Mostly YA Book Obsessed 
The book captures the reader from the beginning. I liked watching the movie n going back to the book and rereading it again n knowing the book is so much more detailed than the movie. Of course I know u cant put everything from the book into the movie but its fun to pick out the movie in the book 
I red this book that I had been anticipating for some time with a mixture of excitement and drowsiness, which I guess comes of making a wal-mart run at midnight and reading until 4 A.M. then starting again 6 hours later. I thought that overall it was good, but not as good as book 4. It felt like throughout the series people were growing and changing, and yet either we took a step backwards or the people were always static. Of course some of the background characters have really matured and changed, like Neville, and some things we've been reading about in the other books finally pay off, but it almost feels like what is revealed in this book could and should have taken place in a much earlier novel. The beginning of the conflict between good and evil was sadly anticlimactic. However the talk between Harry and Dumbledore has some truly tense and interesting moments.While I truly enjoy the entire series, This one seems like the weak sister of the group. 
I was fascinated by Bill O'Reilly's book on Jesus's life and death.  Part 'straight from the Bible' and part 'straight from the history books', this rendition of Jesus's life and the convoluted and trumped up explanations for that brutal death (and yes, this book pulls no punches about exactly how brutal and horrifying the crucifixion he suffered was) is not for those looking for an easy read.  I won't say I "loved" this book, because that would dilute its power and honesty.  I will say it's one of the most memorable and visceral renditions of Jesus's life and death that I have ever read. However, the reader must be aware of exactly what kind of old world 'justice' this is about.  Do I recommend it?  Oh yes!  But know what you're getting into. 
Every character in this book is odd. The plot is odd. And I must be odd myself because I kept coming back for more.  Although I may not read any of the Odd Thomas sequels, I don't  regret experiencing this one....no disgusting sex or language earns an extra star from me. 
With all due respect to the 5 and 4 star reviewers, I am not sure that I read the same book. I will not get in a long drawn out review as to why this book deserves only 1 star I will just keep it short and sweet. The ending of this book is terrible! I actually set there holding my kindle wondering what just happened. Terrible 
This fourth book in the Harry Potter series blows the first three books away!  Harry finally comes face to face with his enemy and is forced to use everything he has learned to survive.  This book is slightly "darker" and more frightening than the other three, but even more engaging.  Though this book is over 700 pages, I found myself wishing it were even longer.  Incredible! 
This is an exceptionally well written, well-researched book about two events that were intertwined, the Chicago World's Fair and the crimes of a serial killer in late nineteenth century Chicago. The book is rife with period detail and highly descriptive passages that give the reader a taste of what living in Chicago was like at that time.The book provides a fascinating look at the enormous work and planning that went into creating the Chicago World's Fair, making it into one that was truly remarkable for its time, given some of the problems that the architects had to overcome. It also provides a fascinating look into the lives of some of the key players involved in its creation.Meanwhile, an enterprising and charismatic killer was also at work, his story being tied into that of the creation of the Chicago World's Fair itself. His story, however, is the weaker part of the book, as it lacks the detail that is evident in the other segment of the book. Still, it provides an interesting look into the life of a serial killer who seemed to go about his grisly business with impunity, as well as a look at crime, law enforcement, and the state of criminal justice in late nineteenth century Chicago.The photographs that were included in the book are excellent and illustrative. The only problem is that there are not enough of them, as the few that are included simply make the reader desire more of them. Still, those with an appreciation of history will enjoy this work of non-fiction and look forward to reading more by this author. 
Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick."This book is not a snuggie.  The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien.  I'm not  writing to calm or coddle you .... In short, I'm out to activate your audacious faith.  To inspire you to ask God for the impossible.  And the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential."Steven Furtick writes this book to challenge us to see the immense power of God and to claim it in our own lives and ministries.  Expounding Biblical principles of audacious prayer from the story of Joshua praying for the sun to stand still in the midst of battle, Furtick shows that God is waiting for us to ask Him to do incredible things ... but too often we don't believe God can really help us.Along with solid Biblical insight, Furtick weaves powerful stories (many from his personal life) about praying audacious prayers and seeing God answer.  At a very young age (I think he is still under 30), Furtick planted the Elevation Church in Charlotte NC.  In about 4 years, this church has become one of the fastest growing, most influential churches in America, with over 6, 000 in attendance.  As I said, he has prayed for miracles and has seen miracles happen.Sun Stand Still is not a heavy theology book.  It is an easy read that is written for the church audience at large (not just church leadership.  The book didn't really have many new insights into the power of prayer, but it is a book that reminded me of how much God wants to do in my life ... more than I usually take time to consider.Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. 
this was a great read I thought the suspense and action was good. I like James  Rollins way of keeping you reading right to the end. 
If your looking for real love plus a little bit of intimacy you must read this book. My heart feels so full of love after reading this love story. It is a.must read!!!!! 
I first watched the movie and then decided I needed to read the book. Whether this story is completely true or not it was a wonderful read. I enjoyed it thoroughly and then decided I had to re-watch the movie. Liked the book much more than the movie and would highly recommend it.Book also arrived in excellent condition and within 2 days of being ordered. Great service! 
"The Eye of the World" is probably the most famous fantasy novel written in the last generation, but it doesn't deserve to be.  About the only thing that's going for this novel is the terrific ending, with a huge surprise waiting in the final line.  But to get there, you have to wade through about 650 pages of tripe, and that's in the hardcover edition.For most of the book, the plot is fairly straightforward.  There's a group of eight people who need to get from point A to point B, where point A is called The Two Rivers and point B is called Tar Valon.  Meanwhile, an archvillian known as The Dark One sends overwhelming sinister forces to stop them.  This portion of the book isn't developed with much skill, which is what makes it pretty boring.  All that the good guys have to do is swing their swords around a few times and they can easily defeat entire armies of bad guys.  One top of that, the good guys are led by an Aes Sedai (a female wizard) who can do more or less anything, so there's never any real sense of danger.  The action scenes also grow very repetitive.  For instance, there's one scene where our heroes are being chased by a horde of villians, but luckily they're able to run into a magic place where the bad guys just aren't willing to go.  This exact same scene gets repeated twice later in the novel.Many people seem to think that the characterizations are one of this novel's strengths, but I don't agree.  The main character is named Rand al'Thor, and the novel is supposed to show him changing from an ordinary farmboy into a great warrior.  The problem is that he doesn't act like an ordinary person at the start; none of the five characters who grew up in a small down do.  They all acts like soldiers right from the start.  They're willing to plunge into battle without any hesitation, and the children always act totally grown up.  I found the characters to be largely static and unbelievable.This certainly isn't a terrible novel.  As I mentioned, it does have a wonderful surprise ending.  Just don't expect to be swept away by it.  Also, be sure to read the gloassary at the end, which is more entertaining than most of the book. 
"Help" is a perfect name for this book. As you read it you will realize why and it will blow you away. I agree with the readers that from the very beginning this book grabs you and does not let go. After I finished the story I re-read it to study the minute nuances because it is such a haunting tale. It is a story about relationships in the south at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Not just relationships between white women and their black help, but also about relationships between white women and their husbands, white women with each other, white women and their mothers from another generation, black women and each other, black women and the white children they raised and so much more. To only have seen the one relationship between white women vs the black help is to have missed out on many of the lessons taught within these pages.The plot of the story is about a young white woman, Miss Skeeter, who realizes that to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer, she must dig deeper within herself and write about what matters to her. She decides to write a book about the relationships between white women and their black female helpers as a way to better understand the love she felt for her own helper, Constantine who had abandoned her under mysterious circumstances. With clandestine meetings with her best friends' helpers she is able to interview a dozen other black women employed by white families and learns of stories both good and bad. I admire the author for not writing in graphic detail any sort of absolute acts of injustice or inhumanity such as rape and police brutality, which of course did frequently take place in those times. It is in the consistent subtle mistreatment which causes the most harm and it is also the small kind gestures that have the strongest ability to heal one's soul and shine the brightest.Regardless of whether or not you think the writing is bad, this is a story that needs to be told. To think about who the President of the United States is today emphasizes just how important this story is. The story reminds us of where we were and the kind of progress and transformation this nation has made that would've made the characters of this book paralyzed with shock. Some with joy and some with horror. Recognizing this progress gives even more hope to the leaps and bounds possible for our children's future. The accessibility of this story outweighs any criticism I have for the actual writing and character development. There were times that I found the book to be predictable as another reviewer mentioned, but that is where the importance lies, in the remembering and not in the discovery. After all, this is historical fiction. This book opens up a dialogue that many of us are no longer having but desperately need. The evidence of this point is illustrated by the number of those who gave it 1 star vs those who gave it 5.Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. 
I don't know what to say about this book. It's definitely has the steamy sex and a waydifferent romance but I'm so confused. Jesse is mentally unstable but I feel Ava is also. I'm not sure if I'm going to buy the next book, I'm sure I will but like I said I'm so CONFUSED!!!!!!! 
This is one of the most hyped books of last couple of years and this reviewer cannot see why.  The story has a cast of too many just for the sake of confusion.  The plot is plodding, the prose is poor and from a standpoint of a mystery, only the confusion of the many characters can mask the whodunit.The main characters are cold, quirky and barely likeable.  There are many times when things just happen to go our "heroes" way.  Without giving anything away, it is inconceivable that one person could do all of the high tech damage being done without any training at all.  And not only was this person perfect with a keyboard, but was simply able to outwit an entire corporation and the banking system in Switzerland.The plot was hung up on religious fervor and then, suddenly, it wasn't.  The finale was satisfying but hardly described.  The financial attack was basically an overview without any detail at all.  This is from an author that needed nearly fifty family members to smoke screen the mystery earlier in the story.  I guess the editors woke up and decided that enough was enough.Other Scandinavian authors have written better novels that bring the atmosphere of that region to the reader.  The locale of this novel could have been anywhere for as much as the author used it.I am rounding it up to three stars for an adequate plot and at least a satisfying ending. 
I found this book to be a beautiful and emotional tale of a young women's rediscovery of locked away memories and second chances. There are so many revelations along her journey that truly make this an amazing story and I'm struggling to not give any spoilers, but convey how great this story was. Read the book synopsis and know that if you love NA Romance you will love the story and journey of Sky and Holder. I highly recommend this book. 
Karou is a seventeen year old art student in Prague.  Well, among other things.  She's been raised by a non-human bearing the ominous name Brimstone and runs errands to do rather grizzly things for him.  With her blue hair, Karou stands out, anyway, but by her skills and background, she is even more unusual than appearances would dictate.  Taylor develops the story well, beginning with the art student, and gradually expanding our knowledge of her and her skills, `family', and other activities.  Through her life with Brimstone and others in their difficult to access nooks around the world, Karou discovers enemies and peers she wasn't aware of.  In fact a goodly part of the story involves Karou's working to find out who and what she is.  She makes mistakes based on curiosity and impulsivity, but does so mostly through good intentions.  She befriends fellow art student Zuzana, and finds a badly needed loyal tie.  Karou faces many challenges, some from romantic feelings, some from obligation to Brimstone and her surrogate family, some to higher principles, some to humans and non-humans of unsavory lives,  Taylor weaves these all deftly to create a very novel world beyond Karou's Prague home and develops a complex and enjoyable young woman in a well-sequenced way so that the reader unfolds her and her challenges gradually and engagingly.  The created other world and its animosities are also believable in their sentiments, if a bit farfetched as appropriate in a fantasy story, and frightening for Karou.  Too much happens to comment further on events of the story.  That said, while I usually don't consider fantasy my genre of choice, in YA books there seems to be a difference for me.  I thought this worth reading and recommending, and have already purchased its sequel. 
This is a return to form for Brown. It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the premise is interesting, being based on the work of Dante. With settings in Venice and Florence, references to "Moonraker" (where Bond throws the bad guy through a Venetian clock) and a famous painting of Dante thrown in, and many many more, this is crammed full of thoroughly-researched aspects of Italy, Italian culture, evil plots to destroy the world and modern science.Thorough research is one thing, but Brown is one of those writers who has to show you all the research he did, and that, in addition to the way he frequently stumbles down winding side alleys of unnecessary thought-associations, make the book a little wearying, now and again.That said, the strange similes, the show-off piling on of irrelevant detail have always been part of Brown's repertoire, without greatly harming the volume of his sales. So you can't exactly blame Brown for giving his readers what they want, can you?Robert Langdon's new female assistant bears some remarkable similarities to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a leather-wearing, sassy, spiky haired chick with attitude and an itchy trigger finger. But that's either coincidence or a sign that such heroines are a dime a dozen these days.Even if it is a hokey kind of plot, Brown's new book has some interesting, forward-looking elements, and so you keep turning the pages. It may not be especially intelligent or eye-opening, but it does entertain you when you're in that lazy, hazy mood for unchallenging, easy reading.So I would recommend this to all Brown fans - this is a return to form and the standards he set in his finest works. 
I'm new to Neil Gaiman, having only read "Good Omens" before, about four years ago. With "American Gods" I might become inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work. This book has a very creative treatise. Old pagan gods still live on as destitute characters in the real world, as long as a few isolated pockets of people still venerate them. Meanwhile, really old gods that are completely forgotten by humanity have disappeared into oblivion. The major religions couldn't even obliterate these decrepit old pagan gods for good, but the real gods of modern America may finally do it - the harsh gods of money and technology. The straight man in the novel is a hapless ex-con named Shadow, who eventually realizes that the bizarre characters he keeps running into are those decaying pagan gods who need his help in their struggle. Shadow also eventually bumbles into the realization that these gods are allying themselves with him for a greater purpose. The concepts behind this book are indeed fascinating and highly creative. Unfortunately the book must be docked one star because the action peters out towards the end, and the anti-climax takes way too long wrapping up a bunch of boring subplots. But still, Neil Gaiman is clearly one of the modern masters of innovative, speculative fiction. 
I regret investing the money and time in this series. I started by wanting to see what all the fuss was about, and kept going because I kept thinking it would get better and I'd already paid for it. It's a rip-off combination of Twilight and Pretty Woman, and not as well done as either of them. There is no basis for why these characters come together, back story is provided only when it's required by a new absurd event, plotting is thin and unrealistically paced, and threads and characters are left dangling. Anastasia is bland and two-dimensional. The shame is that it really had the potential to be fantastic. The real ending is boring and unsatisfying, and the add-on ending proves that the author and editor know they screwed this up. They should have started over with Christian as the main character and told it through his eyes. As they handled it, they were a day late and a dollar short. 
I liked this legal mystery for several reasons.  First and foremost, it has a great plot that flows well despite many twists and turns.  Equally good is the cast of fully-fleshed out characters that populates the book.  Virtually the whole cast is multi-dimensioned and nuanced.  The author skillfully sets up a conflict between good and evil, but there is nothing over-the-top in either direction--these are real people reflecting their times and circumstances.  It gets pretty ugly when the story dips into the racial history of the South--Mississippi in particular--but there is always the hope of redemption held out for contemporary characters who are the heart of the book.So "Sycamore Row" is, at its base, a very, very entertaining story.  Very hard to put down in any of its section, and impossible to stop reading in its last 150 pages.  Highly recommended. 
Subject matter is difficult, of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. It is crucial that we truly know this truth of our humanity and history. 
I was excited to come across a book that has over 4000 reviews, and still have 4.5 stars at that, so I knew it would be good...I didn't know it would be INCREDIBLE!  This book was NOT written hastily, it is apparent how well thought out and planned, and ultimately executed with every turn of the page.  The banter between the characters is also hilarious, especially at the beginning, I found myself laughing out loud so often I was happy I was just sitting on my couch reading it!  It is also a complete book from beginning to end (that can't be said for a lot of releases with similar young couples in the romance novel category around the same time frame) so that's worth a bonus star at this point too!  This was just a really good read, and would also be a really good movie too! 
(Spoiler alert)I just finished reading Mockingjay and had to write a review because I am floored at how bad this book is considering I absolutely loved the first two books in the series. I understand that war is not fun and that this series is not Harry Potter, but I never expected this book to be so dark and well, just flat out not fun. The first two books were serious, but action packed and had a certain momentum that kept the pages turning much the same way the Harry Potter series did. But this book is so far different in tone from the other two novels in the series that it's really shocking. There is no momentum whatsoever and there were substantial portions of this book that I started to skim out of sheer boredom, which never happened when I read the first two novels. This book is so strange that the only thing I can really compare it to is the movie Apocalypse Now because it is such a pyschological nightmare and of course the theme in both is that war is hell ("the horror, the horror"). The only difference is that I loved Apocalypse now, but Mockingjay is one of the worst novels (and sequels) that I have ever read. The things Katniss has to endure in this book (district 13 basically as bad as the capital, Peta becoming crazy, her sister being killed in the end, Katniss being burned basically from head to toe) is just flat out brutal. I guess I am naive because I expected this book to be kind of Star Warsish with the districts (the rebels) taking on and beating the evil capital in a thrilling conclusion. I figured Gale or Peta would die heroically and Katniss would live happily ever after with the survivor. But instead Katniss ends up broken both mentally and physically. I assume the author was not satisfied with writing something that was just a fun piece of popular fiction (like the Harry Potter series) and instead wanted something that would be remembered with the great works of literature (1984, Brave New World, Ender's Game, etc), but if that was the attempt then she has failed miserably. All I can really say in conclusion is that like a lot of people who loved the first two books in the series and I had very high hopes for Mockingjay, but in the end it is one of the most bizzarre, truly ugly novels I have ever read. It is so bad in fact that it will forever cloud my opinion of the series as a whole. 
I try to read fiction interspersed with all the non-fiction reading to give myself a break from harder reading and so I decided to give `Hunger Games' a go after seeing that the movie was going to come out and asking my mom if the book was worth it.  She said to read the series.  I read the book in two days.  I found the topic interesting in that the future where a small group of elite control everything and live high off the hog while basically enslaving the rest of the people to work and live in squalor is actually, if you read around off the beaten path, a goal of the powers that be psychopaths running the show currently.  If you read what is being funded by the government (think DARPA) you will see the technological horrors presented in the book or something along the same lines are being furiously pursued by the elite.  They want total control and are pursuing a means to that end.And so it was with that in mind that I think the book has relevance not only for entertainment.  I think it shows what the future holds unless people of conscience stop wanting to just have a quiet life without the responsibility to question and champion the causes of liberty and freedom.  The hunger games parallel the dog eat dog entertainment we are presented with as normal, such as Survivor, and it is high time take the blinders off and see the crap presented by the elite for what it is.  Sad to say the final touches on total National Security State are being put on as I write (NDAA, Executive Orders for full confiscation powers, Patriot Act renewal, etc).  It isn't for the majority of peoples benefit where something akin the life portrayed in this book is a rosy picture as compared to what is actually coming down the pipe. 
EEEEKKKKK, Colleen Hoover has done it again.  Hopeless is one of my all time favorite books and I thought there was no way she could top it.  But boy was I wrong, I think I love Losing Hope just a smidge more!!  Dean Holder, oh how do I love thee.  You stole a little bit of my heart in Hopeless but oh in Losing Hope you stole the whole damn thing.  Losing Hope is not just Hopeless retold in Holders point of view, it is so much more.  We learn so much more about the day Hope was taken, the day Les dies and how everything unfolds through Holdens eyes.  I was a crying mess while reading this book.  The emotions that are brought out are simply amazing.  Holder is truly a special character and will forever be number 1 in my heart.  I cant even continue this review, no words I will ever write will do this book justice.  I don¡t want to spoil anything and yet I want to tell you everything.  All I can say is thank you Colleen Hoover, your gift with words is simply amazing.One Million Star review************************************************************************************************************** Sophie 
We've read the stories of the holocaust before, the terrors brought to Germany and the rest of Europe by Hitler, the horrific plight of the Jews during World War II.  This is not a new story.  Think a reverse Anne Frank without the naivete.  But you've never read it like this.Markus Zusak uses the point of view of Death to tell the heartbreaking story of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old soon-to-be orphan at the beginning of the book.  Death is intrigued by Liesel and follows her throughout her daily tasks for the five years during the war.Because of a promise made during another war, Liesel's foster parents take in a young Jewish man, hiding him in their basement.  The young man and Liesel become friends by sharing words.This is a story of words: how they are used for creation and destruction, stolen and given, how they bring life to some and death to others.  Markus Zusak cradles and loves every word he writes, just as Death cradles the souls he collects.  The Book Thief brought me to tears more than once, not just because of my empathy and support of Liesel and her loved ones, but because of the sheer beauty of those words.  There were several times that I had to stop reading, go back and reread a sentence slowly just to let it dance in color and brilliance between my eyes for a minute.The description of Death was chilling - not terrifying, mind you, but chilling.  He was a likeable, realistic, empathetic, and surprisingly nurturing character who has a love / hate relationship with his job.I would highly recommend The Book Thief to anyone.  Its descriptions of this terrible war are realistic and historically accurate without being gory, the story is a wonderful page-turner, the characters were believable and lovable, and the writing is superb.  It is one of the best books I've ever read. 
I thought this book was incredible and definately worthy of the Booker. Many of my friends feel the same and we have had long debates about our various 'theories'. In saying that I currently have a friend who just cant get through it - yes it seems a bit pointless at times, even a bit ridiculous ( a tiger in a boat !)but people if you dont get to the end you miss the WHOLE POINT ! It has a brilliant 'oh my god''moment' right in the last few pages - so seldomly found(successfully) in many novels. Very clever - thought provoking, you may need to go right back to the beginnning. To those who didnt like it I would guarantee you DIDNT FINISH IT! 
Oh god, this book. This book gave me all the FEELS. I knew this book would be dealing with some serious stuff but I didn’t expect to feel such a wide range of emotions. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, and even got angry. So many feelings that I wasn’t expecting.Pushing the Limits was so much more than a romance story. While the romance was smoking hot, I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance. Both Echo and Noah are very trouble characters and have dark secrets they have kept buried inside. Katie McGarry was not afraid of tackling the nitty gritty and serious issues, which I really liked. She was able to capture the emotional struggles Echo and Noah were facing so well that I was in tears for these poor, poor characters.Normally I am not a fan of alternating points of view, one of the characters always seem to come off as weaker or it just does nothing for the plot, but in the case of Pushing the Limits the alternating point of view worked perfectly. I loved getting into both Echo and Noah’s head. The writing helped create these characters who you come to care about and get emotionally attached to. Katie McGarry wrote these fabulous characters and as a reader you were truly was able to get into each of their heads. When a chapter ended and switched characters it didn’t feel awkward, the story flowed and it didn’t feel like head jumping (thankfully!).Now Noah and Echo, man, I just wanted to give them a hug. And boy, do they need one. Noah is the boy everyone warns their daughters against, but he’s so much more. While he has the tough, bad boy exterior, Noah is one of the most caring, motivated, strong teenagers I’ve seen. Despite all the struggles he’s had to face, like losing his parents and growing up in foster care, he’s extremely dedicated to his two brothers who have been separated from him. Noah’s devotion to his younger brothers, oh god. It was the sweetest thing. The scenes with Noah and his brothers made me tear up so much, I’m not afraid to say it. He loves them so much and will do anything for them. Noah gives everything to those he loves and will do anything to protect those he loves, such an admirable trait. I loved that aspect of his personality so much. I loved how he grew as a character over book.And then there is Echo. That poor poor girl. She definitely has it rough. Her father is overprotective and overbearing, she is not allowed to see her mother because of an event Echo cannot remember but left her with horrible scars over her arms. Despite everything, Echo still wants to remember the horrible event that almost killed her and still cares for her mother. Her struggle to learn the truth about that night was hard to read. All she wanted was to know. When she finally learns the truth, I was in tears with her. Like Noah, she grew so much over the story. She was willing to come to terms with what happen and open up to those around her, thanks to Noah. While they might be the two messed up character ever, they were so adorable and perfect together.The romance in this book was electric. Noah and Echo’s chemistry jumped off the page and you couldn’t help but want them to be together. They needed to be together for each other. But the romance did not define this book. Yes, it might be how they market it, what with the cover and all but it was so much more. The emotional struggles in the book are what really made me love it. The romance was a nice bonus.If you read one book this year, it definitely should be Pushing the Limits. Its such a great read that captivates you with its amazing characters and draws you in with their struggles. I’m super excited to see what Katie McGarry writes next because she has me next. A companion book staring a secondary character for this book is being published so I’m super excited for that! Hands down, Pushing the Limit is a must read.P.S. I think these lines from the Broadway show Next to Normal define what Noah and Echo both are ultimately working toward in their struggles: “I don't need a life that's normal—/ That's way too far away, / But something...next to normal / Would be okay. / Yeah, something next to normal— /That's the thing I'd like to try. /Close enough to normal / To get by...” 
Amazing. This story was so intriguing, so emotionally intense. Strange that I grew to like the narrator so much, knowing who he is and all. Everything from the point of view to the characters and the way the story was told made this novel unique. The characters felt so real to me. Their story is deep, tender and painful. I laughed, I cried. Stories with some historical truth like this one--especially those set in the Holocaust era and the like--always make me cry. So unjust. So sad. This is a story I will remember. 
I would recommend this book to anyone, this series is great.  My daughter in law recommended this book to me because she new that I read and liked 50 shades. 
This story was AWESOME!!!!!! I couldn't put it down. I knew from the beginning the pretend wouldn't last. I just love the way they adore each other. PERFECT in every way. 
Humanity is almost obsolete on earth.  The human body now serves as a "host" to unseen invaders from another life form.  These invaders plan to take over and make the earth a more civilized place, and it won't be tainted by things like war, sexual perversity, hatred and other human complexities.  "Wanderer" invades the body of Melanie Stryder.  It should be simple enough.  At first, the Wanderer will experience some withdrawal, where the former soul refuses to succumb and the invader experiences thoughts and memories that are not her own.  But as Wanderer goes on with her life and career, she realizes that Melanie lives within her, tormenting her thoughts.  The reason to the host's refusal to move on dawns on Wanderer: Melanie is looking out for two humans, one of whom is the love of her life.  Things reach a head, and Wanderer can no longer distinguish between her thoughts and Melanie's, and soon their feelings for Jared are in synch as well.  How will it all unfold?Stephenie Meyer once said that she was a better storyteller than she was a writer.  I think I get what she means after reading this book.  I bought this a year ago, began to read it, then put it down after about one hundred pages.  Now I dust it off, open it to the dog-eared page, and carry on reading it.  I didn't have to reread the first hundred pages, for it was not difficult to pick it up where I'd left it off.  The first two hundred or so pages are extremely dull.  It is nothing more than a series of flashbacks and Wanderer having an internal dialogue with Melanie.  Things pick up after this rather tedious beginning.  However, things drag on and on to a point where I almost throw the book to the nearest wall in more than one occasion.  This book should have been at least two hundred pages shorter.  The redundancy is extremely exhausting.  Science fiction has never been my favorite genre.  I cannot imagine green-colored men and aliens with six or seven eyes that are found in those books.  (I do like paranormal fantasy though, which is why I enjoyed Meyer's Twilight series better.)  However, this one is entertaining and at times compelling.  If only it had been better written and edited.  But oh well.  I needed to know why this book was so popular (still in hardback and an NYT bestseller after over one year), and so that's out of the way.  Read it if you must. 
After reading this book, I had a flashback to a conversation I once had with an old German woman at a bus stop. We were both tourists in Sweden and after some small talk she mentioned that she had been living in Dresden during the firebombing of WWII. I tried to press her for details, but it was clear that the mere mention of that event was opening up horrible memories for her and she couldn't bear to talk about it anymore. This was in 1995 -- 50 years after the event.Mockingjay is a remarkable novel, because it brings the reader deep inside the psyche of a person like that woman on the bench. Through Katniss, we are able to see a person transform from a little girl learning about the forest from her father into a woman whose nightmares are almost unbearable, and which will never go away. Most admirable is that this important lesson about the long term cost of warfare, is being directed at a Young Adult readership.The transformation of Katniss felt real, and it felt natural, and it felt like something that was in the plans from the very first pages of this book. I remember that when I first met Haymitch, I found his negative attitude irritating.  By the end of this book, I was left feeling like I could totally understand where he was coming from. In fact, by understanding Katniss, I even found myself finally having a better understanding of what might have driven Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain to suicide in 1994.I am very grateful to Suzanne Collins that she did not make this a story of a little girl transforming into a superhero. War heros are real, but even in the most justified war situation, war heroes leave the battlefield scarred for life. Collins knew this, because her own father was a Vietnam vet who had a lifetime of nightmares to contend with. The best way of honoring these people, like her father, is to depict this depressing reality of the unavoidable cost of war.Reading Katniss's story was so compelling that I found myself able to overlook many of the unsatisfying aspects of this book. My chief problem with these books is that as Katniss ventured further and further from her beautifully depicted home in District 12, the environment she found herself in felt less and less fully realized and more and more contrived. These gripes began in earnest with the second book, and contined with this third book. The biggest offender here is The Capitol, which is described in much more detail than before. I am sure the author has good reasons for why the city planners of The Capitol needed to fill it with booby traps. For me, the place just felt like a silly videogame, which detracted a bit from the very serious drama taking place on the streets of that city. Still, these are minor issues that I found myself able to overlook. It is only because the psychological storylines are so strong that I wish this book's description of environment was as detailed and satisfying as it was in Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, but I realize that this is an unrealistic expectation.I am surprised by the many negative reviews written about this book. So many detractors of this book seem to be let down by the negative tone of this book. It is interesting how these negative reviews contrast so sharply with the near universal praise the book has received from adult book critics. I do think that older readers probably have more personal life experiences to help them appreciate the negative tone of this book. Us older people understand that there are some sad memories that never go away, and that life can be worth living anyways. So, to those young readers depressed by this book, I only implore you not to despair over the fact that Katniss's life didn't turn out as nice as you hoped, but instead take heart in the fact that so many adults have embraced these books. I would venture to say that almost all of us adults who are parents have some dark corners buried in our psyche that can keep us awake at night, but like Katniss we have all found our own ways to cope with the inevitable disappointments that life has thrown us, and for the most part we all eventually find a way to enjoy life despite all the lousy stuff that we have to step through along the way. 
I totally disagree with those who do not like this book. I found Christian to be a very sweet, sensitive (SEXY HOT) man who while having a dark past, struggles daily with his issues while truly putting Ana's feelings first.  Ana, as innocent and young as she is, accepts the fact she is totally in love with a complicated man.  Their romance is sexy and fun.Yes, at times the author is a little repetitious but I take into consideration the fact that this is her FIRST book and quite honestly, I think she did a great job.  I've read all 3 books and will read them again and again. 
I would love to read more from this author, if only she would use a more traditional means of writing and pay attention to editing and correct word usage.  I really had to struggle through this book and almost deleted it more than once.  If the story line had not been good, I would not have finished.  I hope to see a better presentation from this author, as I believe she has great stories to tell.