The Friday Night Knitting Club (Kate Jacobs)
This book was a gift from my daughter, and I really enjoyed meeting all the ladies in the club. The ending was quite a surprise. My daughter and I modified the pattern in the book and we worked together and made afghans for my other two daughters.
This sequel takes place five years after the end of The Friday Night Knitting Club. I enjoyed reconnecting with "my friends", and seeing how their lives have evolved. I had trouble identifying with any one character, but by the end of the book I realized that I got to know each of the characters a bit better.
Knit the Season (Kate Jacobs)
It was wonderful to catch up with all the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. Everyone has grown up, including the ones that were already adults, and the group remains as close as ever. A trip to Scotland for Christmas completes the reunion of most of the people who loved Georgia Walker. I enjoyed this book much more than the second one of the series. Perhaps it was because there was more focus on Georgia, who was the star in the first book. There are a couple of patterns in this book and I’m seriously thinking of trying them out.
This science fiction thriller story will have you more worried than ever over the use of artificial intelligence in our day-to-day lives.
This is the story of Brent Jeffs, the nephew of the now-imprisoned Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although I didn’t care for the writing style, I did find the information interesting. Each of the wives and their children had relatively separate lives, even if they lived within the same home, and because of the number of children in the household there was a lot of stress in their lives. Although some of their family had voluntarily left the compound of their own volition, the author’s family was eventually expelled. The author and his brothers were devastated by the sexual assaults they had endured and had trouble fitting into their life outside. The arrest and conviction of the cult leader, and the birth of the author’s daughter, seem to have closed a chapter on a very sad part of the author’s life.
I first heard of this Vancouver doctor and author through one of our Symposium of the Novel weekend. It's a good story and takes place in Vancouver and Seattle so is fun to read.
A doctor who was a member of the Vancouver SARS Regional Task Force wrote this bio-terrorism thriller. The story (and the pandemic) moves from country to country as the members of the World Health Organization attempt to stop the intentional spread of the disease.
In the Company of Others (Jan Karon)
This is the second book in the Father Tim series, but never having read the first really didn’t hamper my enjoyment. Father Tim and his wife, Cynthia, are visiting Ireland. They are staying at a fishing lodge where Father Tim had spent a holiday some years before. Although everyone in the house (and surrounding area it seems) feels like family, they all have troubles that lead them to seek out Father Tim’s wisdom.
All the houses on a quiet street in an Irish town hold secrets. When the secrets are revealed, will their holders be better or worse off?
The Heretics Daughter (Kathleen Kent)
This book has its roots in history and the Salem witch trials. The author is a descendant of one of the first woman to be accused and sentenced to death. The story is told from the viewpoint of the woman’s daughter.
Anybody Out There (Marian Keyes)
This isn't the first book in a series of stories about an Irish family and the trials and tribulations of its various members. Although I hadn't read any of the other books, this was easy to follow and very funny.
The book was published in 1997 while many in the world were wondering what the year 2000 would bring. The story is set mostly in the Middle East, with a bit of it taking place in the US and the Vatican. A huge explosion destroys a top-secret lab in the middle of the desert, and shortly thereafter a new Messiah, Jeza, begins to create quite a following as she performs a variety of miracles. The Catholic Church declares that she (yes, she) is a false prophetess when she advocates against organized religion. Many of the Jewish faith are embracing her appearance, and the entire world is in turmoil. Is she the Second Coming of Christ? Is she the Anti-Christ, as the Catholic Church believes? Or is she just some strange military experiment that has gone horribly wrong? There seem to be good arguments on all sides.
Where River Turns to Sky (Gregg Kleiner)
Ralph is an 80-something widower who returns from a fishing trip to find that his best friend has died alone in a nursing home. Using money from his recently deceased son’s insurance he buys the largest house in the nearby town. Painting the house fire-engine red with dandelion-yellow trim doesn’t make him any friends in his new neighborhood. His dream is to fill the house with people like himself – the elderly with no family. His first attempt is to kidnap a woman from the Silver Gardens Nursing Home. Clara, who has suffered a stroke, is confined to a wheelchair and can no longer speak. When Grace answers his posted ad they put out the word and soon the house is filled with folks. Each chapter is in the voice of either Ralph or Clara. It is a good story, although perhaps a bit unbelievable, with lots of laughs along the way.
My Best Friend's Girl (Dorothy Koomson)
Loved it, and would definately read more by this author.
Life on the Refrigerator Door (Alice Kuipers)
I loved this book. The story unfolds through notes left between a mother and her daughter.
The Hour I First Believed (Wally Lamb)
Caelum and Maureen Quirk are teachers at the Columbine High School. On the day of the shootings, Caelum is in Connecticut attending to matters after the sudden illness and death of his Aunt, his only living relative. Maureen, who escapes the shooters by hiding in a cupboard, is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress syndrome. In hopes of getting away from the memories, the couple moves back to the family farm which is situated right next door to the Women’s prison that was founded by Caelum’s great grandmother. But it seems their troubles are going from bad to worse as Maureen ends up serving time in the prison next door, the family farm may be lost in a law suit, and Caelum is now questioning whether or not he is truly “one of the family” after a second birth certificate is found with his name on it. There is a great cast of characters and there are surprises right to the very end.
A bit of an odd subject (co-joined girls) but I enjoyed the story.
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo (Stieg Larsson)
The girl, Lisbeth Salander, is just a supporting character in this book, but definitely one that I want to know better. Lisbeth is an Investigator who is hired to provide background information on Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist who has been convicted of libel for an article he has published in his own magazine. When Mikael leaves the magazine in hopes of preventing its total collapse he is hired by a wealthy industrialist whose niece, Harriet Vanger, has been missing for nearly 40 years. Under the cover of writing a Vanger family chronicle, Mikael’s real purpose is to pour over the many volumes of information surrounding Harriet’s disappearance to see if he can determine what has happened to her. At the end of the year’s contract, Mikael has been promised hard evidence that will allow him to rewrite his story with supporting documentation. When Mikael realizes how much Lisbeth has researched his life, he decides she is the perfect assistant for this nearly impossible job. I loved the book from beginning to end, and since it is just the first in a trilogy, I have lots to look forward to.
The Girl Who Played with Fire (Stieg Larsson)
This book is as good as the first, and lives up to all the attention it is getting. The story continues with Mikael and Lisbeth, who we met in the first book. This time they are working separately, and often at odds with each other, but towards a common goal.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (Stieg Larsson)
The story picks up immediately after the horrific ending in The Girl Who Played with Fire. Lisbeth and her father are both in hospital in very grave condition. Lisbeth is charged with the attempted murder of her father, as well as several other crimes. Blomkvist and Milton Security have teamed up to find out the truth behind all the secrets that have followed Lisbeth through her troubled life. The story continues through to the end of the trial and the exposure of the corruption of the government. The ending is perfect – a reunion with her half brother and, finally, with Mikael Blomkvist. I had expected we would see some sort of twist in the story involving Lisbeth’s twin sister, but that was missing.
Adventures in Solitude: What Not to Wear to a Nudist Potluck and Other Stories from Desolation Sound (Grant Lawrence)
I’m not a fan of short stories, but since the author is writing about the area we live in I thought I’d give it a go, and found I really enjoyed the stories. Unlike a collection of short stories, that may be related, this is more a recollection of the author’s time spent at the family cabin in Desolation Sound. It takes us from his first visit, through his period of rebellion when he didn’t want to be anywhere near the Sound, and back again to his enjoyment of the area, and its characters, as an adult.
The Piano Teacher (Janice Y.K. Lee)
I’m not certain when or why this book was put on “my list” but it may just have been that I liked the cover. The story takes place in Hong Kong during three specific time periods – just prior to the start of the Second World War, the time of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong , and ten years after the end of the war. Will, an English banker working in Hong Kong , and Trudy, a part Chinese-part Portuguese socialite begin an affair but are separated when Will is sent to an internment camp and Trudy works both with and against the Japanese regime. The story doesn’t unfold sequentially, but when Will, now the chauffeur to a wealthy Chinese family, begins his affair with Claire, the English piano teacher to the family’s daughter, we learn more details of all the families involved.
The End of East (Jen Sookfong Lee)
We know this author and I was very anxious to read her first published novel. The story is set in Vancouver so the locations were familiar. I could see and hear the characters and, to me, that is the sign of good writing.
I was disappointed. I didn't think it was as good as Gone Baby Gone.
Shutter Island (Dennis Lehane)
I’d seen trailers for the movie so I expected something a bit creepy - I always feel safer reading creepiness than watching it on the big screen. The story’s main character, Marshal Teddy Daniels, is sent to Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, which is housed on the island. It seems the patient has escaped into thin air. With a hurricane closing in outside, searches of the grounds are fruitless. But Teddy has another reason for choosing this assignment. The arsonist whose fire killed Teddy’s wife is also housed in the hospital, and Teddy would like to find him as much as the missing patient. As the story progresses we are pulled deeper and deeper into the sinister ”doings” on the island, and there are surprises right up to the very last page. At the end, all I could say was “Wow”.
The story begins when Jewel realizes she is pregnant with her sixth child. The story gives us some background into Jewel’s difficult childhood, her determination, and the achievements she has made that get her to this point in her life. As the family celebrates the idea of a new child in the family, a Negro friend warns Jewel that the new child will be a hardship and a test to her world. Jewel’s daughter, Brenda Kay, is born after a long and difficult labour. Although the entire family try to ignore it, it becomes obvious that there is something wrong with Brenda Kay. When they have a diagnosis that Brenda Kay has Down’s Syndrome (referred to in the book as a Mongoloid Idiot) Jewel begins a life-long journey to make her daughter’s life as normal as possible, even though she can see that she is often sacrificing the lives of the other family members. The book ends with an 80-year old Jewel making plans for Brenda Kay’s care when she herself is gone.
The Bishop's Man ( Linden MacIntyre)
Father MacAskill, who may have had some involvement in the cover-up of the abuse in the Catholic Church, has been moved from his position at a Catholic University in Nova Scotia to a remote and isolated parish on Cape Breton Island, very near to the place where he grew up. We learn quickly that there are secrets in the Father's past - his home life and something that happened when he was exiled to Honduras. The suicide of a young parishener and the fear that he has played some role in that outcome drives the Father into a drinking problem. The story was interesting, but it didn't engage me the way I expected a Giller Prize winner would.
Breaking News (Robert Macneil)
A good story by a Canadian author.
The Shop on Blossom Street (Debbie Macomber)
This is the first book in a series about the newly opened knitting shop on Blossom Street. The book is similar to The Friday Night Knitting Club, with a shop downstairs and an apartment upstairs for the owner. The book includes a pattern so there will be a new craft posting after I’ve finished reading (but don’t be holding your breath).
Organize Your Corpses (Mary Jane Maffini)
This author was the moderator at my first Symposium of the Novel weekend. It isn't a book I would choose to read on my own, but it was free so what the heck. If you like "cozy" mysteries this one will suit you.
Tiger Hills (Sarita Mandanna)
I don’t know how this book got on my list, but when it arrived from the library I felt obligated to read it. The story starts in 1878 and follows the lives of Devi and Devanna through to 1936. Devi and Devanna grew up together in their small village in south India and, after a traumatic incident, are married. Devi is in love with Devanna’s cousin and, because their families are so close, they begin an affair. The story moved along, but I was often exasperated with Devi and her relationship with Devanna and their son.
Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
This seemed like one of those "you have to read it" books. I enjoyed the writing but not the story particularly. The book was far better than the recent movie though.
A dark story, but I enjoyed it.
No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy)
This is one of the few books I've read where I was afraid to turn the page for fear of the violence that would follow. There is no way I would make it through the movie.
The Paris Wife (Paula McLain)
This novel about Hadley Richardson, Hemingway’s first wife, reads like a memoir. I couldn’t put it down. The Hemingway’s were married for five years and the book explores what their life would have been like as they moved to and from Paris over those five years. They had very little money but there was always enough to make long excursions through Europe, often leaving their young son at home in the care of a nanny. Hemingway, and thus Hadley, was particularly drawn to the running of the bulls in Pamplona and one of his first novels, The Sun Also Rises, was written during their time together.
The Winter Vault (Anne Michaels)
The title refers to an enclosure where bodies are stored, awaiting burial, when the ground is frozen in winter. You know that this isn't going to be a happy story. The writing is wonderful and the author has chosen her words carefully to create a story filled with deep emotions. Avery and Jean are newlyweds when they move to the banks of the Nile where Avery is assisting to move the ancient temple of Abu Simbel before the Aswan Dam floods the river valley. Tragedy tears them apart and each seems resigned to live their separate lives, until their intimate knowledge of each other’s thoughts bring them back together.
Lethal Justice (Fern Michaels)
This is one of a series of books where the main characters set out for revenge when they feel that justice hasn't been served through the courts.
The Last Train to Kazan (Stephen Miller)
This author was supposed to be a guest at the Symposium of the Novel but he was replaced. In preparation for the day I ordered his book from the Library, and when it arrived months later I read it but I didn't particularly enjoy it.
A beautiful book and a beautiful movie.
The author was a Booker Prize nominee so when I saw this book on the United Way sale table I thought I'd give it a try. It is a collection of loosely connected short stories - some taking place in the past and some in the future. Can't say that I'd recommend it.
Pat of Silver Bush (L.M. Montgomery)
This was a Christmas gift from my parents when I was young. Although her Anne books were more popular this was a good story about an Island girl. I reread recently before our trip to P.E.I. and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery (Volume I)
I loved this book. In the beginning the journals read very much like the “Anne” books, but as the years slipped by an overwhelming sadness began to seep in. Ms. Montgomery was in the "depths of despair" at many points. I found it sad that she never mentioned a birthday celebration, and Christmas is mentioned only a couple of times. She once mentions Thanksgiving, but it is a November entry, which would be the US Thanksgiving. By the end of this volume she is engaged to be married, but her journals seldom mention her fiancée.
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery (Volume II)
Lucy Maud now has 2 boys, and has lost a 3rd boy at birth. Her novels have brought her fame, and some fortune, and she has changed publishers. She still battles with bouts of depression, which are made worse by the death of her best friend and the isolation she feels in her day-to-day life. Her “sick headaches” are being eased now that aspirin has become available. This journal covers the period of the First World War and she follows all of the losses and victories very closely. She seems to have had almost daily updates and I couldn’t help but compare her knowledge of the war being fought in her time and my own lack of knowledge about the day-to-day battles of the war in Afghanistan. Her husband has begun to show signs of a mental illness, and she has been involved in a number of lawsuits that she has brought against her former publisher.
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery (Volume III)
I thought I might take a break from the Journals when I finished Volume II, but I just couldn't leave them. Lucy Maud (as I've come to refer to her) has finished the series of Anne books and has moved on to her Emily series. She is finding pleasure in moving pictures (without sound), and more frequent trips into Toronto. She continues to worry over several lawsuits with her former publisher, and a lawsuit that was brought against her husband as the result of a car accident. On a trip to P.E.I. she has purchased burial plots in the Cavendish cemetery (the very spot we visited last summer on our trip east). This journal deals a lot with the worries she has over the formation of the United Church of Canada, and what effect that might have on her husband's position as the minister of a Presbyterian congregation.
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery (Volume IV)
Life still is not easy. The stock market crash has brought some financial worries to the Macdonald household. This is the volume where she writes “my book” (Pat of Silver Bush) and she seems in a happy mood as she is writing it. Surprisingly many of her books are written when she is in a very depressed state of mind. On the happy side, she has her first grandchild, although the circumstances surrounding her arrival has her very worried if the “news gets out”. Her husband has been forced into retirement and the family has moved to Toronto.
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery (Volume V)
I have finished the Lucy Maud Montgomery journals. I was sorry to see them end, particularly as they ended very abruptly. I know that these published journals were being rewritten over the years, as many times LMM wrote the entries on bits of paper and in notepads that were eventually transcribed into her “official” journal. In this last volume, she is under a great deal of mental and financial stress, due mainly to the “carrying on” of her eldest son and his repeated failures in his studies to become a lawyer. It was during the writing of this journal that the land for the Cavendish National Historic Site was purchased. Maud is none to pleased with the creation of the site because it is displacing many of her Island acquaintances. There is much speculation about the death of L.M. Montgomery. I have no idea what the “real” story is, but she was clearly an unhappy and depressed woman for a number of years.
All of Me (Anne Murray with Michael Posner)
I have been an Anne Murray fan since her Singalong Jubilee days and I've seen her in concert many times. For much of the book I'm able to "hear" her voice, as I've also heard her interviewed several times. I think I may have found an error in the book though. She mentions playing a concert in Inuvik in the igloo-shaped Roman Catholic Church. Although I'm sure she visited the church (and possible sang in it) I attended her Inuvik concert and I recall that it was in the school gym. After I had finished the book, I listened to her CBC radio interview with Jian Ghomeshi and it added to my overall enjoyment of the book.
Prisoner of Tehran (Marina Nemat)
This memoir, written by a young woman who was imprisoned and tortured in Iran during the rule of Ayatollah Khomeini, is a very powerful testament to how a life can change in the space of a few hours and how faith and sticking to your principles can see you through even the worst times. Sentenced to death, she escaped execution with only minutes to spare but was forced to marry one of her interrogators and convert to Islam. Ms. Nemat now lives in Canada.
The Snowman (Jo Nesbo)
The author is compared to Stieg Larsson of “The Girl” fame. This book is set in Oslo and it was difficult remembering the names of all the characters. As it turned out you only really needed to keep a few of them straight. The main character is a police officer that is trying to solve one of the first serial killer crimes in Norway. All through the book I speculated about “who done it” but, in the end, I was way off base. By the last 200 pages I was itching to read ahead just to relieve the tension. If you like crime novels, this is a good one.
One Day (David Nicholls)
I don’t think I would have picked out the book for myself, but it was the Real Simple Book Club pick. The story follows the lives of Emma and Dexter from the late eighties through to 2007. Each chapter is written on the anniversary of their meeting, and we catch up on what they have been up to as each year goes by. It is an interesting concept but I was disappointed in the book. It took much to long for Dexter to “grow up” and, except for a surprise near the end of the book, I would have been very disappointed.
The Time Traveller's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
This ranks as one of my all-time favorite books.
Her Fearful Symmetry (Audrey Niffenegger)
The background to the story involves a set of twins, Edie and Elspeth, who grew up in London. Edie moves to America where she had her own set of mirrored twins, but loses contact with her sister who remains in England. When Elspeth dies she leaves her home to her twin nieces with the condition that they live in the house for a year, and that their parents never enter the home. Once the twins move in it becomes obvious that the ghost of Elspeth is present. Only one of the nieces can see her, but Elspeth is able to communicate with both nieces and her former lover (who lives in the same building). When Elspeth accidentally steals the "soul" of a kitten (and is able to bring it back) the plot thickens. Could she do the same with a human? What if she were unsuccessful? What if she were successful? Although the ending was a bit odd, I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
Things I Want My Daughters to Know (Elizabeth Noble)
I first saw this book on a trip to Powell River. It wasn't until a long time after when I was going through my journal that I found the name of the book and ordered it from the library. The story tells of a family after the early death of the mother. She has left notes and a journal for her daughters and husband and there are a few surprises for everyone.
When We Were Saints (Han Nolan)
I don't remember where I got this book from but it wasn't until after I started reading it that I realized it was considered young adult fiction. Regardless, I found it an enjoyable read about two young people who think they may be saints and who set out on a cross-country pilgrimage.
This is the first book written by a writer friend of Pat's, who has visited our home several times. This historical novel about the daughter of the famous poet John Donne was long listed for the 2007 Scotiabank Giller Prize but, sadly, wasn't a winner. It has been a very successful first novel for one of the members of the SPiN group.
Missing Mom (Joyce Carol Oates)
A young woman returns home after her mother's murder. The story follows her life through a year of mourning.
The Falls (Joyce Carol Oates)
The book begins with a newlywed couple spending their wedding night at Niagara Falls. The following morning the husband throws himself over the falls. It took close to a hundred pages before I really started enjoying the story, and after that I hated to put the book down. Just when you relax and think you know where the story is going the author throws a curve at you and you are off in another direction. But each time that happens you realize that you maybe should have seen it coming.
Sundays at Tiffany’s (James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet)
This is a quick read and a cute story about Jane, who has an imaginary friend, Michael, who watches out for her while her Mum, the head of a successful Broadway theatre company, is busy running her business. Suddenly, when Jane turns nine, Michael disappears from her life. When Jane grows up she becomes involved in her mother’s business and, although she has several successes of her own, she lacks confidence in all areas of her life. At a time when Jane needs him most, Michael again enters Jane’s life and the two fall in love.
The Last Lecture (Randy Pausch)
Apparently it is common for professors to be asked to give a last lecture. In most cases though the professor isn’t facing a terminal illness. I was worried that the book might be morbid and overly sad but, in spite of the topic, I found it quite inspirational. The author is very matter of fact about the plans he and his wife have made to help her and their young children cope after he has died. He tells about the people in his life that helped him become the man that he is, and how each gave him the ability to face his death with such a positive attitude.
Perfect Match (Jodi Picoult)
This was my first Picoult novel and I loved it. There are many twists and turns in the story until you finally make it to a controversial conclusion.
Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Picoult)
This story follows a shooting at a high school.
The Tenth Circle (Jodi Picoult)
This is a good story about the rape of a young girl (now that is an odd sentence). This is a bit different from her other novels. The surprise ending is there, but it is part graphic novel and I didn't like that part so much. After many tries, I did manage to solve the puzzle hidden in the pictures.
My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Picoult)
This is a wonderful story about a child dealing with the illness of her sister. A great book, but skip the movie.
Plain Truth (Jodi Picoult)
I've read so many books by this author I'm always afraid that "this one" will be the one that seems too formulaic and disappoints me. Not so with this one. The story concerns the apparent murder of a newborn in an Amish community, and follows the characters from the birth through to the results of the trial. As with all of Jodi Picoult's books, there is the usual twist at the end - I was expecting it, but I had it all wrong.
House Rules (Jodi Picoult)
I’ve read so many of Picoult’s books that I know the drill. There will be some sort of mystery, you will be led to believe one thing, only to find one or two twists at the end of the book that blow you out of the water. Well the surprise in this is that there is no big twist at the end. Jacob is a teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome. One symptom of his condition is that he becomes fixated on one subject, often for a long time, until his interest switches to another topic. Jacob’s current fixation is on crime scenes and forensics. When Jacob is arrested for murder, his mother and brother begin to question whether Jacob might be capable of the crime. The cover shot on the book doesn’t reflect anything in the story – an unusual choice.
Second Glance (Jodi Picoult)
It took a long time to get through the book but it was because I was busy and not because I wasn't enjoying it. The story has several characters and at the beginning I wondered if I would be able to keep them all straight. Even with gaps in my reading time I was able to follow the story lines without any difficulty. Do you believe in ghosts or the possibility of ghosts? Do you believe in fate? This book will keep you guessing.
The Imperfectionists (Tom Rachman)
The book is a series of linked short stories. Each is told from the point of view of someone associated with a daily newspaper that is published out of Italy. Between the short stories we learn a little about how the newspaper was started, and the various editors-in-chief who were appointed by “The Board” in the United States.
Devil Bones (Kathy Reichs)
The author is compared to Patricia Cornwell but, based on this one book, I’ll take Cornwell any day. Perhaps my preference is because I understand (from television) the work of a medical examiner better than that of a forensic anthropologist. The author works on the TV show Bones, but that isn’t a series I follow.
Harm Done (Ruth Rendell)
An English murder mystery. I'd never read anything by this author so felt I should give her a try. I'm not sure I'll read any others.
Mad Money (Linda L. Richards)
This author was part of one of the Symposium of the Novel presentations. I found the book (and the author) to be quite rambling. It was the sort of story where the main character practically saves the world all on her own, so it wasn’t very believable. Her heroine has gone on to star in other books, but I’ve not read any of them.
Barney’s Version (Mordecai Richler)
These are the memoirs of the fictional character Barney Panofsky. The story is written in three sections – each section named after one of his wives. It took me until I was almost halfway through the second wife before I began to enjoy the story. The further I got into the book, the more I found I was enjoying it. By the end of the book it was apparent that Barney was suffering from Alzheimer’s so some of the rambling in the earlier sections made more sense. And I was happy that the big mystery in the story was solved, and in such a unique but believable way.
Sweet Revenge (Nora Roberts)
Even reading the synopsis online I don't recall this book. I think that tells you something - a forgettable story.
Housekeeping (Marilynne Robinson)
This title came to my attention through an Amazon newsletter. I'd never read the author so thought I would read her first book as a test. The book won a couple of awards, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. I enjoyed the book even though it may be considered a bit dark. I wasn't certain until the very end whether or not things were going to "turn out okay", but they did - sort of.
The Last Jihad (Joel C. Rosenberg)
This story is based on an attack on the US and a war in Iraq, but the book was written before either of these things happened in real life. As quick look on Wikipedia says this is not the first time the author has done this. The book was good, but I'm not tempted to read his other novels.