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Reviews by Peggy K. (San Diego, CA)

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State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America
by Sean Wilsey, Matt Weiland
From Sea to Shining Sea (11/4/2009)
When I asked to review this book I wasn't sure what I would be getting. I was very pleased to find that it is a wonderful arrangement of statistics and short writings about every state in the union.

This is not a book you just zip through. You will want to keep it on your bookshelf for days when you want to do some reading and feel like learning about other states. Americans generally do not know much about most of our states. This book will educate you in a fun way. The writings are varied and I assure you that you will be surprised what you learn about some states.

Use the statistics to help your children learn as well and make a game of it. Take it on a trip and read a couple of states at a time.

I am very pleased that I asked for this book and I'm sure that anyone who buys it will find the same.
The Secret Keeper
by Paul Harris
An African Love Story (3/8/2009)
I enjoyed this book immensely. It is a love story within a land torn by war and unspeakable cruelty. I was very impressed with the way Mr. Harris drew his characters and how much more I learned about Sierra Leone in reading it. I would certainly recommend this book to young people who need to learn about this world. This is a fictional story but Sierra Leone is real and it is that reality that will stay with you when you turn the last page.
Blacklight Blue: The Third Enzo Files
by Peter May
A Mystery inside a Mystery (9/4/2008)
Tired of the same old mystery book? Want to read something that is original and intense? Then Blacklight Blue is perfect for you. Readers from teens on up will enjoy the build up of suspense in this book. It is indeed a mystery inside a mystery. There is a lot to talk about once you've read this book and despite its size I think it generates a variety of ideas for discussion.

I am so pleased that I had the chance to read it and I can tell you I will be looking for Mr. May's next outing. I've read quite a lot of good books this year and even some truly great ones but for your basic mystery this book is the best. I think it will appeal to teens, adults, book clubs and more. This is British mystery at its best but that's just my opinion. Read it for yourself.
Killer Heat
by Linda Fairstein
Hot Time in the Big Apple (3/9/2008)
I was pleasantly surprised to find "Killer Heat" so enjoyable. I've read Linda Fairstein before and I had not been happy with the last couple books.

This book kept the tension high and the characters, old and new, interesting enough to keep the pages turning.

I like Alexandra Cooper and her pals. In this book Alex has to face trouble in a variety of directions and the multiple plotline keeps the book interesting. She has a rape case that looks like a done deal but in the justice system you never take that for granted. Now dead girls are showing up all over the city and the clues are scarce. You can feel the heat yourself as you immerse yourself in the story.

It is an added bonus to learn a lot more about the history of New York's landmarks.
Mozart's Sister
by Rita Charbonnier
Mozart Sonata (10/24/2007)
Mozart's sister, Nannerl, was a very talented musician in her own right. If there had been no Mozart could this woman have taken his place?

The talent was there but females had one role in that time and it wasn't composing music, writing operas and such. All the advantages that Nannerl had before her brother's birth were lost the moment he showed his talent.

Charbonnier tempts us with love letters to start off and from there on this is a tale of passion, love, music, resentment, ambition and ego. Nannerl's love for her brother warred with her desire to have what he had.

She may have stepped back for her brother but I doubt she ever accepted fully the role she was cast in. Yet what a life it must have been and what dreams she had despite everything.

Written as fiction it incorporates real characters, real events and filling in between the lines of Nannerl's life to pose how it all might have been.

If you think you know Mozart's life, you haven't met his sister and heard her side of the story. This is a very bittersweet tale and well worth the read.
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