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2 | Sorry, not a winner... | I just finished Ruin Falls, and I'm having mixed feelings about the novel. Usually, I either say, "Wow" - or "Phew...glad that's finished" when I read the last chapter of a book, but, with this one, my feelings are best described as middle of the road. Two stars for a fairly unique premise - don't k... | [] | 0345549074 | 0345549074 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,413,831,007,000 | 5 | false |
5 | Allow yourself to be transported... | It's Lady Julia (Deanna Raybourn), Agatha, M.M. Kaye and Downton Abbey all rolled into one - with it's own distinctive twist! What could be a better setting for a murder (or two) than the Brightwell, an elegant resort by the sea. It has all the required features - the storms that roll off an agitated sea, a perilous ... | [] | 125004636X | 125004636X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,413,392,129,000 | 1 | false |
5 | One of the best of 2014 - a great tale of a family's recovery. | Here's a story you never hear told - when an abducted child returns to his family after many years - what happens then? Oh, we see the aftermath of a kidnapping played out in full color pictures in People Magazine - everyone looking great and moving on with life, but seldom if ever are we told about how this horrifyin... | [] | 1400062128 | 1400062128 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,413,045,146,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Great read - set this one aside to read in one sitting! | When I read a book through in one sitting, there has to be a pretty compelling set of lures - an intriguing premise, characters who come alive and beg my empathy and understanding, settings that transport me, and an urgent need to know the whole story as soon as possible!<br /><br />I found this novel to be very well-b... | [] | 0778316556 | 0778316556 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,412,482,032,000 | 0 | false |
5 | I loved it - a fast, two day read! | You'll have a hard time finding a main character who gets into more trouble than Marc Bowman! And, in the beginning, so innocently. He gets up on a day like all days and the world literally falls on him - wiping out almost everything he values. A bit of computer knowledge would come in handy reading this novel, as y... | [] | 0345540727 | 0345540727 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,412,435,485,000 | 1 | false |
3 | Life happens...no matter how well you plan... | "An epic, a masterpiece, powerfully moving" - all the effusive accolades caused me to expect a lot. It is true that the 600 pages represent a massive writing achievement and the ten year gestation period is impressive and was probably painful at times. I was disappointed. The writing is excellent - not awe-i... | [] | 147675666X | 147675666X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,412,143,504,000 | 6 | false |
4 | Inside a 1970 drug smuggling group with unforgettable characters... | First, I have to ask if everyone is comfortable with "existential dialogue", which, I understand is a writing style wherein the author does not use quotation marks when writing dialogue. Evidently, this is nothing new, as James Joyce used this writing style. The conjecture is that the author uses this style w... | [] | 0802122124 | 0802122124 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,410,920,129,000 | 1 | false |
2 | Sorry, this one was well-researched, but not my cup of tea... | This was my first Susan Lewis novel and I think choosing it to read was ill-advised as it was far-afield from my favorite genres. But, what the heck, it sounded like a good story, and I was looking for an easy, fast read. The first problem was that I had not read the book that preceded this one, so I fumbled my way t... | [] | 034554773X | 034554773X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,410,493,786,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Different, intriguing, educational, unforgettable! | This is an unusual novel - unusual characters and plot. If you, like I, are constantly seeking a story that strays far from the ordinary and the formulaic, here it is. Extremely well written and researched, this novel allows us to be a fly on the wall, witnessing the disintegration of Frederick, the husband, victim ... | [] | 0385537255 | 0385537255 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,410,143,248,000 | 1 | false |
4 | An apt title...here's a new twist on foreclosure! | If you're searching for an original premise and a plot that keeps the pages turning, look no further! This book is different. It's well written, and the characters are easy to get to know. You may not like them all, but you will have to agree that they are fascinating and maybe a bit scary. Flanery gets a bit carr... | [] | 1594631808 | 1594631808 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,409,380,067,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Gripping page-turner - another Reich hit! | Not knowing much about the stock market or hedge fund managers, I found this novel not only entertaining but educational as well. The life of a stock trader, especially one trading in millions and billions is not one to be envied - as in the case of Bobby Astor, our main character, who lives and breathes the market, t... | [] | 0385535066 | 0385535066 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,408,225,338,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Refreshingly different - great tale of survival! | We tend to forget about the Aleutian Islands, part of Alaska (with the exception of the islands at the far tip that belong to Russia), so close to Russia, and a fairly easy flight from Japan - as a part of the United States. With all the books and movies we've seen and read about the battles of World War II, and I'm ... | [] | 0062279971 | 0062279971 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,407,612,208,000 | 0 | false |
5 | One you won't soon forget... | When I turned the last page, I had to sit there for a moment and just say, "Wow!". This novel packs a punch that will stay with you, stirring up deep thought about some of life's most difficult decisions. The author's research on Huntington's Disease was impressive, and taught me all I know about this debilitating in... | [] | 039916734X | 039916734X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,407,023,497,000 | 2 | false |
4 | The perfect summer read - spending time in the Winslow "camp" ... | The perfect summer read - spending time in the Winslow "camp" on the water somewhere in Vermont. A more interesting group of characters would be difficult to find. The setting is mesmerizing - so deftly described by the author that it is easy to sink into the whole scene and want to stay. Until you peel ba... | [] | 0804138567 | 0804138567 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,406,220,072,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Can't wait for the next Cummings novel - he's the best at the modern spy story! | I love a good spy story, and this one filled the bill. Writing about MI6, it's inner workings with the CIA (not always amiable - too much competitiveness) and the methods of surveillance, communication and general tradecraft (detailed methods a spy uses in his work), one would think that the author has spent some time... | [] | 1250020611 | 1250020611 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,405,900,668,000 | 3 | false |
5 | Great novel - Pavone has done it again! | Wow, Chris Pavone has not disappointed! This is a great story with intrigue in every chapter. I couldn't put it down - and, it's been a while and a bunch of books since I've been able to say that. There are many characters to keep track of, easily identifiable by good descriptions, and it takes a while to figure out... | [] | 0385348452 | 0385348452 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,405,192,988,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Just what I needed... | This looks like just what I need to spark some interest in a 15 year-old-grandson, who is glued to his X-Box and is always complaining about how he could have produced a better game. Now he will be able to put his program where his mouth is! I have only his enthusiasm at receiving this book to report so far, but thin... | [] | 1598635182 | 1598635182 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,405,191,734,000 | 0 | false |
4 | If only the Judge could hear what his ladies have to say! | If you love the novelization of a true event, you'll really enjoy this treatment by Ariel Lawton. It takes an author with great research skills and an imagination to match, to come up with a story so plausible that you begin to think it really could have happened this way. The writing was excellent, and, not for a mo... | [] | 038553762X | 038553762X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,404,689,264,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Another engrossing tale of pre-WWII in Europe... | The story takes place in a narrow window from December,1937 to late summer, 1938. Ferrar, a Spanish emigrant living in Paris, is an attorney with a prestigious law firm - and, with no particular credentials to qualify him, is enlisted to become an arms trader - the arms going to the Spanish Republic. The Republic is ... | [] | 1400069491 | 1400069491 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,402,943,730,000 | 0 | false |
2 | Disappointing discovery... | This was my first Michael Palmer read, and from the accolades, I was expecting something exceptional. Resistant had an exceptionally imaginative premise, a good story that moved right along, characters that were well-fleshed out, settings that transported, but, instead of enjoying the novel, I was distracted by the po... | [] | 1250030927 | 1250030927 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,402,089,793,000 | 7 | false |
4 | Amazing research produces a strong sense of reality... | Dealing with an interesting twist of history, it's difficult to keep in mind that this is a work of fiction! A couple times, I checked out some sites described in great detail - on the internet, and found that the place or building did/does exist, and matches the description to a "t". Knowing this made the wh... | [] | 0345526570 | 0345526570 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,402,021,954,000 | 1 | false |
5 | An interesting chronicle of an epoch that changed our lives... | Some folks don't pay much attention or celebrate the evolution of "stuff and things". They just pick up the new item or convenience and move on with little or no thought, almost as if it was an entitlement they expected. Think of reactions to the personal computer or the smart phone. Did we gaze upon them f... | [] | 0345536959 | 0345536959 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,400,436,528,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Wonderful Story | This was a little advanced for my three-year-old princess, but the second and third tellings brought a gleam to her eye, and she was asking grandma "to read the one about the ponies". So, she understands more with each reading, and it is evolving into one of her favorites. I only wish it were a hardcover with color... | [] | 1619631652 | 1619631652 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,400,429,694,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Immerse yourself in the world of ballet... | Whether you are an avid ballet lover, having danced or had a friend or family member involved, or just had a passing knowledge as a result of seeing presentations or taking ballet classes growing up, you will enjoy this novel. Beautifully written, you can't help but be a bit distracted by the skillful way the author c... | [] | 0307962903 | 0307962903 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,398,451,028,000 | 0 | false |
2 | I'm disappointed... | Definitely not a great "feel good" experience - most of these stories end far from the garden path or glorious sunset. There is no doubt that they are well-written - beautifully written actually. If you enjoy reading a collection of short stories just to appreciate the writing style, this may be for you. Wha... | [] | 0385335776 | 0385335776 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,397,011,607,000 | 8 | false |
2 | I'm not a fan of this latest effort... | Two stars are for a well-researched look at the diver's life and what an actual dive for treasure would be like. Two stars for credibility - as, at age 70, I would be surprised if Mrs Lowell had taken up deep sea diving for treasure. Frankly, I was bored to pieces up to halfway through, and was close to not giving a ... | [] | 0062132822 | 0062132822 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,396,987,844,000 | 32 | false |
5 | Twists, turns, Sinatra and a tough guy with a good heart! All you need for a great story! | I loved this book - with its "diamond in the rough with a heart of gold" protagonist - his association with a very realistic-speaking Frank Sinatra, settings that included Catalina, Las Vegas and Mexico, and a fresh, original plot that held my interest until the last page. This is not a soft, lyrical, heart-w... | [] | 1453299335 | 1453299335 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,395,963,610,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Totally unique cookbook...it's a "must" for the creative cook! | The book is filled with scrumptious recipes, beautifully displayed and photographed. In this day and age of "One Hundred ways to make Mac & Cheese", it's wonderful to come across a cookbook that features truly different treatments of healthy foods, explaining the background and culture that produced each dish,... | [] | 1572160748 | 1572160748 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,395,377,025,000 | 1 | false |
4 | A fun, but sobering, read! | You'll like Stan Powers, the conservative radio talk show host, facing pressure to make decisions that reach into his deeply buried standards of truth and integrity. He is managed to the point that when he looks in the mirror, he's not sure what he sees. He's a moderate, independent, democratic republican, spewing th... | [] | 1604334908 | 1604334908 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,394,832,384,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Time well spent again in Natchez... | What a wonderful way to experience Greg Iles' return to writing. Eight hundred pages of Mississippi history comes alive, returning to present day to impact Penn Cages's father directly, along with all his family members and his fiancee. Beginning forty years ago, when the KKK was terrorizing the black communities of t... | [] | 0062311077 | 0062311077 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,393,987,431,000 | 4 | false |
4 | Interesting twists...building up to a satisfying end | This was my first Michael Sears, and after reading "Mortal Bonds", I'll be adding "Black Fridays" to my Wish List. I liked the crisp writing, the pace of the circumstances and action, and you've gotta love our hero, Jason Stafford, who is not only cunning and crafty, but a great Dad to "The Kid"... | [] | 0399158677 | 0399158677 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,392,611,121,000 | 0 | false |
5 | A special gift | I bought this book for my grandson (a twin) who has a hard time getting attention from his siblings and parents - and then, when he finally gets the spotlight, he forgets what he was going to say - just like this bear. Everybody can identify with this story - it's a favorite! | [] | 1596437456 | 1596437456 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,392,399,398,000 | 0 | true |
3 | What's your idea of a "really good book"? | There is no doubt that this is a beautifully written account of a woman's life beginning as a child of the 1960's to present day, detailed in the first person narrative. Frankly, I felt I was reading a woman's journal. A bit disconcerting was the format - which was a departure from the punctuation we've come to expec... | [] | 0062270397 | 0062270397 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,390,846,166,000 | 33 | false |
4 | An unusual story - engrossing, educational - a good read! | Two young girls, wrapped up in the nuclear disarmament fervor of the 1980's, decide to write to the Russian Premier and ask him for peace. Sarah Zuckerman, whose mother is a divorced, somewhat dysfunctional peacenik, is the instigator. Her friend, Jennifer Jones, has the perfect name, house and family - and, Jennifer... | [] | 1594205280 | 1594205280 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,389,566,475,000 | 2 | false |
4 | Interesting look at the British efforts to rebuild Germany... | A year after the end of WWII, Germany has been divided into four zones - the Russian, French, American and British. British Colonel Lewis has been sent to Hamburg (one of the most heavily bombed cities) as its new governor - the man directly in charge of the day-to-day efforts in his sector. Germans are still smartin... | [] | 0307958264 | 0307958264 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,388,456,099,000 | 0 | false |
2 | Disappointing - not a great reading experience... | I like to finish a book with a "wow" - I'm afraid this time it was a "whew". I am still reeling from the story, which was a laborious account of a father trying to reunite with his sons, and a reunion of his sons with each other - long past the date of the expiration of the relationships. As hard as y... | [] | 0812993969 | 0812993969 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,386,202,179,000 | 2 | false |
5 | Great reading experience! | A very ambitious work, so meticulously researched. The novelization of Marie Antoinette's last years is written with Marie as the narrator, and, believe me, it is almost impossible not to get swept up in the cruelties she and her family experienced. The characters and settings are so vividly described that the reader... | [] | 0345523903 | 0345523903 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,385,430,181,000 | 1 | false |
2 | Too much of everything - Sidney can't be sleeping through this one! | I was a devoted Sheldon fan for many years - The Other Side of Midnight was a special favorite. This is my first collaboration of Sheldon's notes and Tilly's Sheldon channeling, and it didn't work for me. It was well-written - the characters and settings were well-described, but, too often, I found myself yelling, &#... | [] | 0062073427 | 0062073427 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,384,824,724,000 | 4 | false |
2 | This one left me cold.... | I'm a fan of British mysteries, and have read quite a few, which have been set in years past. This is my first written by a British writer, taking place in present day. The writing is just okay, the author got high marks for his descriptions of backgrounds (however, some told us 'way more than we needed to know, and ... | [] | 1611099757 | 1611099757 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,383,590,823,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Not your typical family saga... | I was reading some of this author's reviews for earlier books, and found that the words used to decribed those highly rated novels could be used on Book of Secrets as well. Emotional, poignant, disturbing, intriquing, mysterious and filled with family drama, this is the story of the deeply dysfunctional Sinclair fami... | [] | 055359253X | 055359253X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,382,137,240,000 | 1 | false |
4 | One of the best I've read this year... | For a debut novel, this one had all the bases covered - well-defined characters, settings that transported, and a plot that got a grip on me and moved me quickly along. This was a book I did not want to put down. The era of the German occupation of France during World War II has always been interesting, but, in the ... | [] | 1402284314 | 1402284314 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,380,394,243,000 | 108 | false |
5 | Great reading and learning experience! | Not knowing much of anything about Marie Antoinette, reading this book, at first, seemed like a pleasant departure from what I'd been reading in the last couple of months, and a chance to learn something as well. I didn't expect to be blown away by the carefully researched story or to carry the book around, diving bac... | [] | 0345523865 | 0345523865 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,379,998,075,000 | 1 | false |
4 | My first Karin Slaughter... | Slaughter's style was new to me from the beginning. Equal weight was given to two protagonists - the fabled undercover agent, Will Trent, and his doctor girlfriend's daughter-in-law, Lena - who is a tough cop with a reputation for pushing the boundaries. The action centers around a raid gone bad, which, because of in... | [] | 0345539478 | 0345539478 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,377,028,356,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Prepare yourself... | ...to spend time inside a woman's head. This is Dani's story - her first abusive marriage, it's dissolution, meeting Ian, and the subsequent marriage - and Ian's disappearance. Through it all, we are a fly on the wall, and privy to her feelings, rational and irrational, angry and sad, guilty and defensive, loving and ... | [] | 0345534352 | 0345534352 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,375,377,033,000 | 16 | false |
5 | Brilliant, innovative, gripping page turner! | Basically, this is a 587 page pursuit of an answer to why Ashley Cordova committed suicide - or did she? In the process, we are also trying to find out what her reclusive movie director/producer father had to do with his daughter's death. This is not Scott McGrath's first attempt to uncover the very secretive life of... | [] | 140006788X | 140006788X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,374,776,875,000 | 2 | false |
4 | When you uncover family secrets... | You never know where they are going to lead - or whom they may hurt. In 1999, Clementine is an attorney in New York trying to make partner, in her thirties and unmarried. Her beloved, aged grandmother is near death. Clem wishes she had asked her grandmother questions when she had a chance because confusing informat... | [] | 1250014492 | 1250014492 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,372,567,737,000 | 0 | false |
4 | My first meeting with Joe Pickett.... | Breaking Point was a refreshing ride through the mountains of Wyoming - even though we were digging up bodies (EPA agents), searching for a suspected killer whose life has been made a living hell by the EPA, and dealing with the federal agency's director run amok. Joe Pickett is a compassionate game warden who knows t... | [] | 0399160752 | 0399160752 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,371,874,934,000 | 0 | false |
4 | I devoured it ... | I get hooked on covers and this one really lured me in - coupled with a promise to transport me to the South African diamond mines in the 1880s. The author meticulously researched the area and the industry during that era, thus making the settings and situations very real. The main characters had very strong personas... | [] | 0399158243 | 0399158243 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,371,516,078,000 | 0 | false |
4 | There's a lot of forging going on! | In more ways than one. Both Gabriel, the artist in Paris and Elmira, the art authenticator in New York are forging something - Gabriel is trying for success as an artist after years of mediocrity, and Elmira is trying to re-forge a life that was lost. Neither one is taking the high road to get the good results they s... | [] | 0385536690 | 0385536690 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,370,983,567,000 | 0 | false |
5 | A joy to read... | Every once in a while, a great story comes along, inhabited by very real, likable characters, that draws you in and won't let go until the last page. That's The Paradise Guest House. It's not long enough, as you're never ready for it to end! The author spent worthwhile time on her research, as the account of the ter... | [] | 0345522818 | 0345522818 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,370,299,930,000 | 0 | false |
5 | A gift of value | This was a gift to a granddaughter going to Namibia for a research project. It proved very valuable - full of good information, helpful tips, etc. it told it like it is - no touristy stuff to lure vacationers. | [] | 0982261969 | 0982261969 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,370,024,995,000 | 1 | true |
5 | A breath of fresh air! | I hated it when I had to close the book on my time spent with these quirky characters! I I love a story that is different. These days, it seems more difficult to find. This premise really appealed to me - three people fighting their own personal battles coming together in good old boarding house fashion to work thro... | [] | 0547576218 | 0547576218 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,369,932,319,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Hands down, my grandchildren's favorites! | The first Boynton book we bought was Red Shirt, Blue Shirt, Green Shirt, Ooops! which became an instant favorite. The Barnyard Dance was next, and now we're ready to add to the library. These are books that I can always count on being winners! | [] | 068982663X | 068982663X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,363,972,890,000 | 0 | true |
4 | The family ties that bind... | Frankly, I am more accustomed to reading novels that are fast-paced page-turners, that dwell mostly on plot, and a lot less on character development. So, I had an adjustment to make - something like going from an automatic back to a stick shift! This story needs your uninterrupted time and focus to savor the essence ... | [] | 1400067685 | 1400067685 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,363,972,624,000 | 2 | false |
5 | Great reference/idea book for budding photogs... | My daughter and I had two reasons for interest in this book - she is assembling a portrait studio, and I photograph products for a vintage gift shop. Both of us are gaining the information we need Including equipment, techniques and ideas to do a better job. We will be referring to this book frequently as we go. Any... | [] | 1937538079 | 1937538079 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,362,426,067,000 | 3 | false |
5 | Very entertaining! | The younger grandchildren aren't so sure about this as "going bananas" means eating bananas to them, but the older ones (5-6) love it. I like to keep a library for the grandchildren when they visit - stuff they don't have at home. This is a great addition to my library. | [] | 0761458387 | 0761458387 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,361,901,497,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Fascinating journey...a page turner | When a book wakes up a yearning for new and more knowledge, it's got to be termed a success. I had never heard of the lost city, Cuidad Blanca in Honduras, and that was intriguing and set me off on a googling several times. My copy of Jungleland was a review copy without pictures or maps - so I was anxious to fill in... | [] | 0061802549 | 0061802549 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,359,233,947,000 | 2 | false |
5 | Great little board book... | Here's a different story, charmingly illustrated and interesting. This will give little hostesses lots of good ideas and get the imaginations stirring. Now, to find a nice, in breakable tea set! | [] | 0761456384 | 0761456384 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,355,379,002,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Absolutely charming... | The illustrations in this picture book are among the best I have seen in a very long time. They are wonderful representations of many breeds of dogs - totally appealing and colorful. I got this book because my twin grandchildren are growing up with cats, and aren't that comfortable with dogs - so here was a chance to... | [] | 076145957X | 076145957X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,355,378,739,000 | 0 | false |
5 | This novel will sneak up on you.... | Extremely well-written, great descriptions of settings and situations - and you will feel you know these characters increasingly well with each chapter. For the first time in my reading experience of many years, though, I visualized two of the main characters differently than described: I saw Maddy with dark hair an... | [] | 0062201050 | 0062201050 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,354,300,589,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Fantastic! | I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which goes into the background and research involved with the making of Downton Abbey. Some of the detail is really impressive and it is now obvious why the story, plot,settings and actors are able to weave such an extraordinary experience for the viewers of the series. British dramas ... | [] | 1250006341 | 1250006341 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,353,203,123,000 | 0 | true |
2 | I was disappointed...... | I picked up this book because I loved "Rule of Four", which I found captivating. 12:21 fell far short for me - I had a hard time feeling that it was a "thriller". I found myself skipping over various areas and couldn't conjure up much enthusiasm to get back to the book after putting it down. So, for me, this book wa... | [] | 0385341407 | 0385341407 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,350,595,540,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Great inside look... | This may be an old account of what goes on in the redwoods, but things may not have changed that much over the years. There's a lot of tradition that never changes. A friend was a guest back in the 80's and he confirmed the authenticity of this account. Amazing that the Bohemian Club continues in this modern age. J... | [] | 0151369054 | 0151369054 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,349,715,038,000 | 1 | true |
3 | Nothing really new... | It's always intriquing to read about Marilyn Monroe and her relationship with the Kennedys. I read one of these books every ten years or so in hopes that I will find some new information that will confirm some of the rampant rumors. Not the case with this one - although Marilyn's housekeeper did provide some lesser k... | [] | B0073XV5HE | B0073XV5HE | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,346,890,606,000 | 2 | true |
5 | Everything you need to know about blogging! | If I can't get this process started with this book as my guide, then something is wrong with me! This book is totally all-encompassing, and it's just a matter of finding the time to sit down and follow the steps. I'm setting this aside for the fall, when all the summer guests are gone and there is some peace and quie... | [] | 0672335972 | 0672335972 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,345,064,423,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Intriquing - a good read for those fascinated with JFK | Jack 1939 is a good story - not the most sensational spy thriller I've ever read, but good enough to hold my interest and keep the pages turning. What makes it unique, of course, is the spy - JFK - and how, in the author's imagination, he came to be one. What fun, to take a legendary notable and weave him into a plot... | [] | 1594487197 | 1594487197 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,345,064,065,000 | 1 | false |
4 | A brilliant spy story - grab this one quick! | We're not talking about a rock-em, sock-em, car-chasing, special effects, edge of your seat thriller here - just a really nice, comfortable British spy story. Our hero has been drummed out of MI6, so when the chance to redeem himself comes along, he grabs it. It seems the new Director of MI6 has disappeared, and seve... | [] | 0312591330 | 0312591330 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,339,099,363,000 | 0 | false |
3 | Ex-military topless pole dancer? Why not? | Unaccustomed as I am to heroines who relieve stress by kick-boxing, and then head for an establishment called "Taco" to entice men by topless pole dancing, I must admit that I was able to relate eventually. What makes this unusually interesting is that Dunn is experiencing a devastating grief for both her father and h... | [] | 161218281X | 161218281X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,339,095,722,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Cat and Mouse with the Nazis - more fun! | If the rise of Germany working up to marching into France - pre-WWII - is one of your favorite eras to read about, then this is a story you'll enjoy. The Third Reich is looking for any way to insinuate itself into French culture to make the takeover as painless as possible - so along comes an American movie star, who ... | [] | 1400069483 | 1400069483 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,337,898,094,000 | 2 | false |
4 | An illuminating, exhausting, page-turner... | I know this was fiction, but it felt too real - and one wonders how very close to the truth it really was. This is a very raw story of the migration of newly converted Mormons from the time they left England to the promised land in Salt Lake City. The leaders of this expedition are also those who fancy themselves bein... | [] | 1250005027 | 1250005027 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,337,023,970,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Fast-moving gripper with a heart... | I quickly downloaded this novel to my Kindle before jumping on a five hour flight. By the time I got to my destination, I had read nearly three-fourths of it - even with all the interruptions. Thank goodness for a three hour time difference, because that gave me three more hours to finish it before my eyes closed. Ra... | [] | B006VFLIYK | B006VFLIYK | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,336,403,353,000 | 0 | true |
4 | A well-written, enjoyable romp! | Wow, and what a romp this is! If this era of history is of interest to you, you'll enjoy spending time with this wealthy, socially elitist Amsterdam family in 1907. They are almost totally taken in by our hero, Piet, the new tutor, who aspires to live as they do, have what they have, etc. Piet will do anything to wi... | [] | 0307599477 | 0307599477 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,335,382,336,000 | 2 | false |
4 | A great experience from beginning to end... | You can't beat the characters and the settings, and, at times you get the feeling that you may be reading a memoir, the writing is so crisp and real. The story with its vivid descriptions will transport you to the point where you will yearn to see that tiny little seaside enclave in Italy. Pasquale, his aging Italian... | [] | 0061928127 | 0061928127 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,335,379,990,000 | 13 | false |
5 | Unforgettable - packs a punch you won't soon forget... | I just finished "The Good Father" - and although I could read through the first 200 pages when it was convenient, I read the last 100 in one sitting, unable to put it down, unable to wait to find out how it all would end.<br /><br />If you are a parent, and if you are a divorced parent as well, this story will inevitab... | [] | 0385535538 | 0385535538 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,333,231,521,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Engrossing from beginning to end! | One of the best books I have read in many, many months! The character, Kate, is so believable that I had to look twice to be sure the author of this book is a male. He captured everything about how his female protagonist thinks, feels, reacts, appears and on and on. In the beginning, you will shake your head as Kate... | [] | 0307956350 | 0307956350 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,332,798,086,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Everything you need to know... | Here's a reference book that I have just begun to experience - but, finally, in my hands I hold all the secrets to making the best use of Facebook! There is so much information here that there is surely one marketing method that will work for everyone inside. It's a lot to take in for those of us who are Facebook cha... | [] | 078974113X | 078974113X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,332,450,051,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Definitely a welcome departure from the usual! | Frankly, I didn't know what to expect after reading the promos. The first twist was the unamed narrator who is making every effort to unearth the reasons why his friend, Oliver Vice, would jump overboard while on the QM2 - or did someone push him? To find out, our narrator, his best friend, must delve deeply into Oli... | [] | 1590514157 | 1590514157 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,327,347,091,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Enthralling from beginning to end | I picked this up to have something to read before going to sleep on a vacation in Cabo San Lucas. I was right on a beautiful, sandy, isolated beach with thundering surf - and I wanted to spend the majority of my time drinking it all in. Instead, I found myself completely immersed in this captivating tale of two Chine... | [] | 0812980530 | 0812980530 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,321,036,906,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Nobody weaves a southern tale like Siddons... | Siddons is a great storyteller - and what takes her from good to great is her ability to both create vividly fleshed out characters, but then to place us with them in the most poetically described settings. Spending time in a Siddons book is truly transporting - and for those of us who have spent some time in the sout... | [] | 1607882493 | 1607882493 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,311,723,847,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Really a nail-biter - what a story! | I've been looking forward to this book, and it did not disappoint! Zuckhoff's description of the jungle, mountain peaks and the valleys was so vivid that the reader actually gets a sinking spell feeling the reality of the difficulties these survivors - and those who tried to rescue them - faced. We get caught up in h... | [] | 0061988340 | 0061988340 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,311,036,534,000 | 2 | true |
5 | Courtroom drama at its very best... | Margaret McLean's experience as a criminal prosecuter obviously gives her a big "leg up" on the workings of a criminal trial. She goes into great detail in handling both the cases of the prosecution and the defense - and we actually get a back and forth questioning of witnesses, with explanations for why and how some ... | [] | 0765328143 | 0765328143 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,310,598,502,000 | 1 | false |
2 | The mystery is...why did he write it? | Halfway through the repetitious first chapters of this book, something compelled me to turn to the last page, where I found an Author's Note about a personal tragedy that had evidently inspired him. Since, I, too, have lost a child, it's difficult for me to see the "tribute" in writing about a personal loss, encasing ... | [] | 0061655961 | 0061655961 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,308,421,075,000 | 5 | false |
3 | My first experience with Banana... | After a rather agonizingly microscopic description of our obviously troubled male character, which left me totally unable to draw a picture of him in my head, I found myself puzzling over what the attraction could be for our heroine. Unless you are drawn to weirdness, you will wonder, too. Of course our heroine comes... | [] | 1933633778 | 1933633778 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,306,267,559,000 | 3 | false |
4 | Very different - a great debut! | Refreshingly different, and you'll realize it right away. The story is written with such detail and passion, that it seems that the author must have lived it. The characters are likable but not always easy to understand. It was a different place and time, which takes some time to sink into. Once there, however, I f... | [] | 0670022632 | 0670022632 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,305,485,060,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Animal lovers will love this memoir... | I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Nick Trout's memoir - it was a wonderful combination of stories about his family and all of the pets that have been companions along the way. Further combine that with Dr. Trout's accounts of some of his more memorable patients as a veterinarian. Most of all, as the owner of my fourth golden ... | [] | 0767932005 | 0767932005 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,305,482,675,000 | 0 | false |
5 | A fascinating new look at Hemingway and the woman he could never forget... | Be transported to 1920's Paris to live among the aspiring writers and artists of that time - some who had made it, and Hemingway and his new wife, Hadley, who were trying to find the magic formula for success. What fun it is to be a fly on the wall as they wander down the Paris streets, stopping in to have a drink with... | [] | B004DEPELY | B004DEPELY | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,302,215,983,000 | 0 | false |
4 | What an imagination - but could it come true? | Wow, what a great imagination Albert Brooks has - but it's all plausible in light of the present situation in our country - so could it come true 19 years from now? It's not difficult to imagine what would happen if one of our major cities was leveled by an earthquake. We've seen what a major quake has done to Japan ... | [] | 0312583729 | 0312583729 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,301,614,746,000 | 4 | false |
5 | Patterson never disappoints...this is one of his best! | All of Patterson's novels are meticulously researched, and the time he takes to do this makes the reader experience the best. This novel is no exception - if you like courtroom drama - you'll love this murder case. It follows the path of the defense attorney in a case that's fraught with family trevails - and the mili... | [] | 0805087745 | 0805087745 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,301,025,265,000 | 0 | false |
4 | It's fun to read a debut novel - particularly this one! | Since I'm a fan of Mary Alice Monroe's, I was especially interested in reading her debut novel. Reading it, it is easy to see why she has gone on to become a best-selling novelist. The Long Road Home is a good story, and the characters are well-defined and genuine. Where it falls into the "debut" category is in her ... | [] | 0778327558 | 0778327558 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,298,612,047,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Loved the story and the characters... | When I learned that my 14 year old granddaughter was taking a trip to Arizona, and that rain was forecast for the entire trip time, I passed the book on to her. Evidently, the story was so captivating that she devoured it in a day and a half. This was a major victory for me, as I have given her books before that were... | [] | 0061996165 | 0061996165 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,298,495,418,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Great read if you are in the mood for Fannie at her quirky best! | Frankly, I put this book down after the first couple of chapters because the idea of Miss Alabama's preoccupation with suicide just didn't appeal.However, when I ran out of books to read, I picked it up again - and am I glad that I did. It's not irresistible or hilarious, but it's very clever and delivers a lot of smi... | [] | 1400065933 | 1400065933 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,297,303,375,000 | 0 | false |
5 | A fantastic trip to India with Lady Julia and Brisbane! | As a devotee of MM Kaye for many years, I never thought I would find another author I loved as well - who could handle the era, the culture of the British Crown Colonies, the settings, the characters, and maintaining the solution to the crimes until the last pages. Eureka! I have found Deanna Raybourn, who does all o... | [] | 0778328201 | 0778328201 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,296,867,374,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Just the information I needed! | There aren't that many books about Norway that deliver as wide a view of the country and culture. When I was on my way to see my grandson graduate from Brown with a Fulbright that would take him to Oslo for a year, I needed some background information. Granted, this book does not bring you up to present day, but it d... | [] | 8250418522 | 8250418522 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,296,243,025,000 | 4 | true |
5 | A one of a kind - one you won't soon forget... | Unfortunately, I could only read this book in bits at a time - but I found myself eager to pick it up whenever time allowed. This is a novel for my "keeper" shelf - one I will re-read when I can devote the time it deserves. In praise of what is a beautifully written story - actually the weaving of parallel stories - f... | [] | 0307717038 | 0307717038 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,296,152,503,000 | 3 | false |
5 | Great read! Great departure from the usual stuff - time well spent! | So well written - the plot, the characters, the setting. Prepare to spend some time in Kenya on a dig. Ford's descriptions place you there, and all the scenes, smells, routines, animals, tribal issues, etc., are there for you to experience. The plot has some mean twists that are totally unexpected - which is what we... | [] | 0385529112 | 0385529112 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,294,424,444,000 | 0 | false |
3 | I was expecting too much - Ape House was good but not great... | I've read all of Sara Gruen's, and loved Riding Lessons and Water for Elephants. I thought she was really on a roll after Water for Elephants, so I expected Ape House to be another truly transporting reading experience. I thought all the info about the apes was fascinating, particularly when I realized that Sara had ... | [] | 0385523211 | 0385523211 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,284,768,482,000 | 2 | false |
3 | Like reading someone's diary.. intimate, engrossing... | I enjoy memoirs - and that is what this is - the memoirs of two women who lived at a very tough time in a very difficult place. Hoover helps us to know and understand these two women, their circumstances, their backgrounds, their families, and what life was like. The women live on farms fairly close to each other - ... | [] | 1590513460 | 1590513460 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,282,768,753,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Great read - a true page-turner with a zinger ending! | Seldom does a reader have the opportunity to get to know the characters as well as we were able to know Ben and Ashley. After what seemed to be a hopeless tragedy, we were able to experience the day to day successes and failures of the survivors - and we spent much of this time inside Ben's head, listening to his thou... | [] | 0767927001 | 0767927001 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,280,776,839,000 | 6 | false |
5 | For me, a new star is born - great read! | This was my first Mark Mills book and it was absoutely great - great characters you will know well enough to form definite likes and dislikes, a plot that carries you along to an unpredictable ending, and a place, time and set of circumstances that are new, different, refreshing, real and so welcome! Although Mark tel... | [] | 1400068185 | 1400068185 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,273,877,652,000 | 2 | false |
5 | The best I've read in many, many months... | This was a fascinating look at an earlier time when the British had enclaves in so many parts of the globe - and, in each, they tried to live in their own way - and expected the citizens of that country to adopt their ways, too. Hal Treherne, a major in the British Army, has been posted to Cyprus in 1956, and he's tak... | [] | 0061929883 | 0061929883 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,265,770,305,000 | 1 | false |
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