The Darkening Field: A Novel
by William Ryan
The Darkening Field (12/8/2011)
I really enjoyed the combination of murder mystery and political intrigue. We got to follow the leads as the detectives uncovered them. The pre-World War II setting in Russia was well described along with the conflicts some people felt with their government. The distrust of others, the fear of appearing disloyal to the government, the worry of the detectives about how high in the government the leads would take them, all were ever present in the story. I will read the author's first book now and definitely recommend this book to others. It would provide many avenues of discussion for a book club.
Little Black Dress: A Novel
by Susan McBride
Magic dress (7/16/2011)
I really enjoyed this book and thought the characters were mostly well developed. The plot was a bit predictable at times. The viewpoint of the chapters alternates between Evie in the past and her daughter Toni in the present, and this flowed well. I think it would be an interesting book to discuss at a book club because most people can relate to family dysfunction to some degree. This quote will stay with me: "Sometimes you just have to accept the magic that comes into your life and leave it be."
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Outlander (4/8/2011)
I have wanted to read this book for a long time and was excited to receive a copy to review. This time travel adventure has enough history, old Scottish dialect and culture, romance, sex, war, and violence for just about anybody. It might be too long for many book clubs. The sympathetic characters and their adventures make me want to read the next book in the series, even though the plot is at times a little unbelievable. A little too long but it's worth reading.
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
by Conor Grennan
Incredible (1/4/2011)
What an amazing story and book, so well written by Conor Grennan. I could not put it down. His writing is quite humorous at times but the story is touching and inspiring. This book is a must read for everyone, all ages, book clubs and individuals. We can all be inspired by his passion and selfless commitment to these children and to Nepal.
Adam & Eve: A Novel
by Sena Jeter Naslund
Adam & Eve (9/18/2010)
This book includes intriguing topics for discussion. Much of the writing is quite lovely but much of the plot is improbable and has confusing gaps. The extraterrestrial story line could have been discussed in more detail. The relationship between Adam and Lucy and their healing process was well written. There are many ideas for book clubs to discuss although the author could have developed these theories more fully and spent a little less time in Eden.
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fast read (7/11/2010)
This is a suspenseful page turner with likable main characters, "bad guys," and interagency conflict. The intrigue, the descriptions of the scenery in the Pacific Northwest, and the details about yachting were enjoyable, and I learned quite a bit. The romantic attraction was a little too instant. The book was entertaining and a fast read. I liked the short chapters and would enjoy another novel with the same main characters. I wouldn't recommend it for book club discussions.
