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Ten Thousand Saints: A Novel
by Eleanor Henderson
Ten Thousands Saints (5/23/2011)
I raised my children during the '80s and I don't remember the world around us being so dysfuncional. I could not finish the book. Perhaps a younger readership would enjoy it more.
The Lovers: A Novel
by Vendela Vida
The Independent Yvonne (3/31/2010)
Yvonne is a widow wishing to take a proactive way of dealing with her grief. She travels alone to Datca, Turkey to remember some of the adventures she enjoyed with her husband. The places are not quite the same, but Yvonne is ready for a new outlook on life in general.
Yvonne was told by one grief counselor that she was trying to become invisible.Yvonne sets out to prove that statement entirely wrong.
She takes a boat trip to Cleopatra's Island with Deniz, has tea with Ozlem and strikes up a friendship with a local shell collector named Ahmet.
Vida provides humor also. Just wait to see what Yvonne finds in one of the guest rooms in the house she rented.
Secret Daughter: A Novel
by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Secret Daughter (1/22/2010)
This is a story of two mothers; Kavita from India and Somer from America. They are from two extremely different backgrounds and cultures, but each have family struggles and challenges to endure.

The story unfolds the daring love for their daughters and shows that this love is an instrument of healing in both families.

This book provides an excellent view of the everyday life of a woman in Indian culture. Kavita makes extreme sacrifices but triumphs over all.

This would make the perfect book for a club to discuss.
State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America
by Sean Wilsey, Matt Weiland
A Great Road Trip - State by State (11/4/2009)
This is not a boring public relations hype about each state. The reader gets to meet interesting characters in every location. We are introduced to the wicked and the wise.

Each author's style is so refreshing. They express pride in their state, but are honest regarding some embarrassing parts of their history.

The reader will want to visit the landscapes described in this book. Who knows what wonders we will find. Carrie Browstein ends her view of Washington State by saying, "...There will always be wilderness to discover, and wilderness we'll never know."

Start planning your adventure now and don't forget to pack State by State.
The Secret Keeper
by Paul Harris
Civil War in Sierra Leone (3/2/2009)
The action begins on line one and does not let up until the surprise ending. Through the dialogue of the characters and the use of flashbacks, Harris gives the reader a realistic view of the war and the continued corruption and disloyalty after peace is declared.

The protagonist, Danny, faces many conflicts. As a journalist, he was in Africa to report on the war. During this time, he met Maria who had a passion for helping the child soldiers. He received a letter from her four years later stating that she was in serious trouble. He returns to Sierra Leone to find that the citizens have adopted "a new set of survival skills". The atrocities of war continue to disrupt daily life in this village. The friends he met during the war, Kam and Ali, join Danny in his quest for Maria and the protection of her secret.

This is a fast-paced thriller you do not want to miss.
Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing: Living in the Future
by Charles Bowden
Some of the Dead are Still Breathing (2/9/2009)
Bowden invites the reader to view his personal nightmares. As he guides us though these moments in time, we choose between reality or illusion brought on by his drug du'jour.

To Quote Bowden: " I am convinced all of my moments of risk were self-created in order to escape the deathly feeling everyday life gives me."

He is still searching for a future without so many obstacles. This book does make you think. It is an unusual read.
Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News from the Front Lines of Memory Research
by Sue Halpern
Forgettable, Can't Remember (5/2/2008)
The author seems to be telling of her experience in researching the book; not giving a clear picture of the current research for memory loss. Ms. Halpern sited many studies, but none gave true hope for the victims of Alzheimer's or other illness.
I was disappointed.
Desert Cut: A Lena Jones Mystery
by Betty Webb
Desert Cut - Excellent (1/16/2008)
This is the first time I have read Betty Webb. I will be searching for all the Lena Jones series.

Webb gives the reader an excellent mystery of the missing girls and addresses a very touchy subject with compassion.

The American woman in general does not know of the practice of female genital amputation. Betty Webb allows the reader to see the cultural basis and the horror of the act as well. This is a very well written book.

If you have not read Betty Webb, this is a great chance to experience her writing.
The Pirate's Daughter
by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
Movie stars, pirates and treasures, oh, my! (10/10/2007)
This was a thrilling read. It transports you to Jamaica at the glamorous time of Flynn and Monroe and brings you a vision of a young girl's future. We see May transform from a disillusioned tomboy who never gets a chance to have a relationship with her father to a caring and compasionate young woman.

It is a vacation in Jamaica with a taste of political change and exciting characters. If you are very still, you can feel the breeze and hear the reggae music.

Don't miss this brilliant novel.
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