Kathleen B

The plot was a roller coaster ride and I couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what happened. However, the characters were stereotyped, the descriptions minimal, and the writing choppy. Read it as a "beach read" or a substitute for a "made for tv movie," but don't expect more. This might be a good book for YA reading groups.

In a manner much like Alexander McCall Smith, Gaile Parkin gives vignettes of life in Africa (Rwanda). Angel bakes cakes to sell from her home; the stories revolve around her customers and deal with AIDS, frustrations with societal moires, marital conflict, and women's issues. The stories are compelling and the advice which Angel gives is always sound. Do not miss this wonderful slice of life in Rwanda. It shows warmth and hope in the context of the remnants of the terrible genocide of 1994. It left me smiling through my tears.

A very interesting psychological study of alcohol/drug addiction, prison, guilt, redemption, and family dynamics, plus a darned good plot to carry it along. The author knows personally about all of the above, or else she has done an excellent job of researching her topics. Well worth reading.

In a memoir which reads like a novel, complete with satisfying character development, rising action, and climax, Hope Edelman tells about the brief period in her life when she went to Belize to seek an unorthodox healing experience for her three year old daughter. The book was engaging, easy to read, at times very humorous. It also provided a plethora of information about alternative healing, the ancient Mayan culture, and shamanic ceremony. I would recommend the book to anyone with an open mind who wants to explore "The Possibility of Everything."