I usually try to make my book picks from some of the lesser-knowns — it’s easy to find out about a bestseller ( I do know many of my picks have gone on to become bestsellers, but hey). I’m making an exception for this fabulous bestseller. I’ve always enjoyed Liane Moriarty’s writing, but this one…just wow! In a nutshell: […]

   Well, I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book–so much that I forgot to be a critical thinking writer in the process.  The characters were just edgy enough, the setting was absolutely rooted in reality, and the heavy subject matter was handled with enough upbeat attitude to prevent it from being a book […]

Honestly I hesitated choosing this book. I expected a courtroom drama (I rarely choose that kind of story, preferring books with deep character development). I was more than pleasantly surprised to discover that listening to this story of a district attorney, Andy Barber, family man, all round good guy whose town is rocked by a […]

I’ve been a fan of Stephen King since those long ago days before I started writing. He has a way of sweeping you up into whatever world he’s created, and 11/22/63 is no exception. I’ve always loved scary movies, always been willing to follow a storyteller into dark and frightening places. Stephen King can make […]

I received Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter as a Christmas gift from my son, who is also an author. I knew it was going to be good, but how good? Whereas so many novels in mainstream suspense forego character development for plot, this novel does not. Those of you who have read my books know I […]

I picked this book up while I was on my Southern book tour at the recommendation of a bookseller. Not that I’ve ever needed any prodding to dive into a Stephen King novel, master storyteller that he is. Joyland was less supernatural and more reality than some of his work, much more in the vein […]

When Time Magazine named this “The best fiction book of 2012,” much was made of the fact that it was published as a Young Adult novel which would make it a first for Time’s prestigious award. The fact that this is an outstanding bit of writing—regardless of the genre—supports the theory that good writing is […]

The Prophet by Michael Koryta is both a departure from and a return to familiar territory for the author1. Koryta’s first three books with Little Brown have slanted toward the paranormal2. While the protagonist in The Prophet does, indeed, speak to the dead, the dead do not respond. This novel relates much more closely to […]

City of Thieves is the finest novel about two young men searching for a dozen eggs I have ever read. David Benioff tells the tale of Lev and Kolya as they battle bitter cold, snow, starvation and fellow Russians as the Germans surround Leningrad in winter 1944. In the besieged city, citizen and soldier alike […]

I’m always thrilled to find a good book that defies all current popular trends. When you hear the the setting of this book, you might shrug and wonder how such a novel could be interesting. The Light Between Oceans proves a well-crafted character drama can thrive in any environment, no matter how desolate or bereft […]

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was recommended to me by a fellow writer. It takes place after World War II on the English Channel island of Guernsey. The story is told through a collection of letters and telegrams between writer Juliet Ashton and her friends and co-workers. The story reveals not only […]

A Reliable Wife isn’t my normal reading fare. I picked it up on the recommendation of a couple of people in the publishing industry. This book certainly isn’t for everyone, it’s rather slow paced, heavily narrative, and more than a little disturbing. That said, it still fascinated me and I read it in record time. […]

A very talented author friend of mine recommended this book and I have to say I’m incredibly glad she did. The House at Riverton was so good that I’m now seeking out Kate Morton’s other title, The Forgotten Garden. I’m a sucker for a great gothic novel, one that links secrets and misdeeds in the […]

Three women from diverse backgrounds are thrown together by circumstance and one man’s greed. Maddie, a suburban housewife. Nicole, matchmaker to the rich and elite. Avery, who recently lost her position on a home improvement show to her undeserving husband. All are victims of a Ponzi scheme. Add a pregnant unmarried daughter whose baby-daddy is […]

The newest book from Wendy Wax hit the shelves this week (June 26, 2012)! you’re headed out on vacation, or just looking for a great weekend read, you’d better be on your way to buy this book. Ocean Beach is a sequel to Ten Beach Road (reviewed here), but you can easily pick this one […]

History buffs as well as those who enjoy a story that makes one grateful for the grace of freedom and family will love Unbroken. I read this book on the recommendation of my brother, who reads a lot of non-fiction and is a history lover like me. As a rule, I stick mostly to fiction […]

Better than a house of mirrors and teetering like a house of cards, Before I Go to Sleep takes you on a Memento-esque trip into the life of a woman whose memories are stripped from her every night when she goes to sleep. Christine suffered an accident seven years prior and now we wake every […]

Take a walk on the dark side – contemporary Southern gothic dark, that is. I’ve always been a fan of Karen White’s writing. THE MEMORY OF WATER is her most outstanding work yet. Tragedy cleaved Marnie Maitland from all that she loved, from her Lowcountry home, from the ocean, from her family. As children, she […]

I was initially drawn to his book because of its cover. And I have to say, it did a great job of portraying the book. As some of you already know, authors have very little, if any, input into their covers. Kudos to the team at MIRA. Secondly, I was interested in this book because […]