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Adult Summer Reading Program
| Adult Summer Reading Program |
Book Reviews: 2001
| Book: | A 3rd helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (
) |
| Summary: | This is a collection of stories designed to highlight the goodness of humanity. These stories will make you both laugh and cry. This is a book that is good for reading in short spurts when reading time is limited. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | A Day Late A Dollar Short by Terry Mcmillan (
) |
| Summary: | As always Terry Mcmillan has done it again!!! This book will make you laugh & cry. It's make your realize what famlily is all about. |
| Reviewed by: | Tamara Chestnutt (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | A Dish Taken Cold by Anne Perry (
) |
| Summary: | Ms. Perry is best known for her Victorian mysteries set in London, but her foray into the world of Revolutionary France was fresh and delightful. A short story, not a mystery, it was an easy read and an afternoon's enjoyment may be had by all who peruse its pages. |
| Reviewed by: | Shannon Morgan (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks (
) |
| Summary: | This was an excellent book! A story of faith, love, and perserverance. A truly heart warming story. |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | An Angel to Die For by Mignon F. Ballard (
) |
| Summary: | This book was so good that I couldn't put it down. The characters were so vivid that they instantly appeared before my eyes. A great way to spend a summer day. |
| Reviewed by: | Shannon Morgan (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | Bedlam in the back seat by Janet Gillespie (
) |
| Summary: | A rockem sockem rollicking trip through Europe for a family of five. There are many home truths and observations in this book. Kids do say the darnest things. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Beduin's gazelle by Frances Temple (
) |
| Summary: | Another historical teen fiction, with Etienne a character from her previous book studying in Fez and two new charaters, Halima and Atiyah from a desert tribe called Beni Khalid. The two are in love and betrothed, but fate separates them in a most exciting way. Of course they are reunited, but it was a near thing. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of a woman who is abused by her husband who is an NYC police officer. She flees with her son to a life of hiding. This is an emotionally difficult book to read but quite powerful. I couldn't put it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman (
) |
| Summary: | Alice Hoffman has a gift for language. Her prose reads like poetry and it is spellbinding. This was true in her earlier works (Turtle Moon, Practical Magic) it it is still true today. Blue Diary is the story of a man, Ethan Ford. It begins with a day when he does not show up for work. This is unlike him as he is known to be a pillar of the community, reliable, honest, dependable and a local hero. He coaches Little League. However we find out that he has been running from his past for thriteen years. His past comes up to haunt him and it shatters the lives of those closest to him, his wife, his son, the community who must choose to stand by him or not, and it changes his life as well. Some of the story is told from the viewpoint of his son's friend. She is the person who made the phone call that started the ball rolling. But the most interesting character to watch is Ethan's wife, Jorie. How she deals with the revelation of her husband's past and how she comes to terms with it, is the most compelling part of the story. Read this book, you won't regret it. You'll have a hard time putting it down |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | By sun and candle light by Susan Sallis (
) |
| Summary: | A story of four girl friends taking them from beginning of youth to adulthood. Life events separate them but they keep coming together because of bond of friendship that would not let them escape. Easy reading. Some parts the details instead of adding to the story slowed it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Geeta Raju (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | By the River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept by Paulo Coehlo (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of two people who grow up together but then their lives diverge. When they once again come together they experience an intense spiritual and emotional journey over the course of just a few days. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel (
) |
| Summary: | Such a wonderful read. If you're looking for a book with a strong feminine lead this is it. Ayla, a cro-mag, the *new race* is 5 yrs old and critically hurt when found by the medicine woman of the neanderthal race. Seen as one of the *others* the leader of the clan at first doesn't want to accept her (her birth family died in an earthquake) into their Clan. But once accepted they begin to learn from one another. Compelling book, hard to put down. Anticipated the next installment of the story *Valley of the Horses*, where Ayla has set out to look for the *Others*. |
| Reviewed by: | Sharon Mackey (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of how a young woman becomes apprenticed to a Druid and finally becomes a nun. The story leaps back and forth between her past and her present. During the present time Gwynneve is a cloistered nun of St. Brigit in the 6th century, living in a stone cell and writing her life story. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | CRACKDOWN by BERNARD CORNWELL (
) |
| Summary: | ROMANCE, INTRIGUE, DRUGS AND AN EXOTIC SETTING. ALL OUR HERO WANTED TO DO WAS GET ON WITH HIS LIFE, BUT... IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO DISCOVER A NEW AUTHOR (NEW TO ME) WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER TITLES TO LOOK FORWARD TO READING. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | Cradle and All by James Patterson (
) |
| Summary: | Good story! The ending wasn't really what I had expected. I wasn't crazy about the author's style of writing, but it was ok. He left a few unanswered questions and included things that he probably could have left out. |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Crime upon crime by Michael Underwood (
) |
| Summary: | Arthur Kedby had been blackmailing people to earn his living. This goes horribly wrong when he is arrested for murdering a neighbor who had been visited by a Judge, the target of his blackmail. Rosa Epton, a solicitor who features in many of these books, solves the case. This British mystery is short and good. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | ENQUIRY by DICK FRANCIS (
) |
| Summary: | VINTAGE FRANCIS WITH AN ORDINARY BLOKE OF A PROTAGONIST PREVAILING DUE TO COMMON SENSE, STUBBORNNESS AND PLUCK. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ FRANCIS BEFORE, START WITH HIS EARLIER WORKS, AS HIS LAST 2 EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SUB-PAR. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs (
) |
| Summary: | This was an excellent book! Very well written, although at times too technical for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I found hard to put down. |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | French lessons by Peter Mayle (
) |
| Summary: | Peter travels throughout France discovering food and wine all over again. He visits one town's cheese fair, another town's frog legs fete and even finds a town in love with snails. He is such a humorous writer, especially describing the runners in a marathon who all wore fancy dress and wild costumes and got to drink wine all along the route. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Girlfriends by Carmen Renee Berry & Tamara Traeder (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book about the different aspects of friendship between women and girls. The authors break the girlfriend relationship down into five areas. They explain each area and give real life stories from women's lives to illustrate their point. The book is very simply written. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | God is at Eye Level by Jan Phillips (
) |
| Summary: | The subtitle of this book is "Photography as a Healing Art". This book is one woman's use of photography to help us understand human sacredness. She speaks of the intimacy that photography can bring between the photographer and the subject. The book is full of Jan's photographs from around the world. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer'Stone by JK Rowling (
) |
| Summary: | Harry Potter fans know it well and like it a lot. After all the Harry Potter hype and commotion I really had to find out for myself. It was absolutely delightful---fun, fantasy and now one of my favorites. Try it, you'll like it!!!! |
| Reviewed by: | Paula Light (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | High Five by Janet Evanovich (
) |
| Summary: | I listened to this book on tape because all of the texts were checked out. The reader was very funny and caputured Stephanie's personality very well! The ending is a bit of a cliff hanger and I couldn't wait to get to the library to check out Hot six! |
| Reviewed by: | Elizabeth Hill (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | HOW HITLER COULD HAVE WON WORLD WAR II by BEVIN ALEXANDER (
) |
| Summary: | FASCINATING MATERIAL, BUT NOT EXACTLY A PAGE-TURNER. BY HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK, WINNING OPPORTUNITIES ARE GONE. THE 2ND HALF COULD BE RE-TITLED HOW HITLER COULD HAVE QUIT WHILE HE WAS AHEAD OR HOW HITLER COULD HAVE DELAYED THE INEVITABLE |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | Inner Harbor by Nora Roberts (
) |
| Summary: | This is the best story of the trilogy! You know how the story will turn out, but you have to keep reading! This one is a page turner! |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Lone Eagle by Danielle Steel (
) |
| Summary: | I think Ms. Steel falls short of the mark this time. I have read all her books and this one is to descriptive for me. I found myself turning pages looking to see if there was ever an end to the specific situation she was describing.This will not be on my list of reccomended reading. |
| Reviewed by: | Kristine Clark (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Lord of the Flies by William Golding (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of a group of boys stranded on an island without any adults. It explores the dark side of human nature. The book is a good, yet disturbing read. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Marry Your Muse by Jan Phillips (
) |
| Summary: | In her book, Jan Phillips, explains the importance of making a lasting commitment to your own creativity; whatever form it takes. She talks about the role of spirituality in energizing creativity and how creativity energizes spirituality. This is a different approach from any other I have encountered. It is truely a fresh way of tapping into our creative spirit. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Mirror Image by Danielle Steel (
) |
| Summary: | If you're a Danielle Steel fan-----you'll love it! One of her best. Felt like I was right there with all the characters. A great love story. |
| Reviewed by: | Paula Light (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | MONDAY THE RABBI TOOK OFF by HARRY KEMELMAN (
) |
| Summary: | I decided to re-read some old favorites. The "rabbi" series moves a little slowly but features interesting characters, good dialog and for the non-Jew a painless way to learn about Jewish customs and practices. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | Murder at Bertram's Bower by Cynthia Peale (
) |
| Summary: | This mystery was the type that I thoroughly enjoy, it kept me guessing right up until the end. The second in the Beacon Hill series, it makes me anxiously await the next installment. |
| Reviewed by: | Shannon Morgan (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | Neither here nor there by Bill Bryson (
) |
| Summary: | The author revists some of the same places in Europe he had travelled to when he was a teenage backpacker. He has many snide comments and quirks, so this funny book should be taken with a pinch of salt and a light heart. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Nevermore by Harold Schechter (
) |
| Summary: | 'Nevermore' a fictional story bringing together Edgar Allen Poe and Colonel David Crocket. The unlikely duo are put on the trail of an 1830's serial killer. Written in first person by Poe, the story is highly verbose, but very well written. If you are a lover of mystery and command a remarkably immmense vocabulary, I would recommend this book. |
| Reviewed by: | Colette Miller (at Evesham Library) |
| Book: | OVER THE EDGE by JONATHAN KELLERMAN (
) |
| Summary: | GOOD READ FROM THE MASTER OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ ANY OF THE "ALEX DELAWARE" NOVELS, YOU CAN START WITH ANY ONE OF THEM. INTERESTING CHARACTERS AND STORY LINES. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | P is for Peril by Sue Grafton (
) |
| Summary: | This was a quick read. I enjoyed the book as I have all of her others!! |
| Reviewed by: | Elizabeth Hill (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Ramsay scallop by Frances Temple (
) |
| Summary: | In medival times a scallop shell is given to a person who makes the pilgrimage to a shrine in Spain. Two young people in England are sent on this trip to ease the burden of guilt for their whole town. They don't like each other and are betrothed, but on the long, chaste journey, respect and admiration grow between them. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Rilke's Book of Hours Love Poems to God by Translated By Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book of poetry by the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke. These poems are all directed to God, like prayers. The poems were inspired by a trip Rilke took to Russia in his twenties. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Rising Tides by Nora Roberts (
) |
| Summary: | Very good story. You become involved with the characters and can feel what they are experiencing. This story keeps you reading! |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Sea Swept by Nora Roberts (
) |
| Summary: | This was a very interesting story. Not quite as good as the other trilogies by Nora Roberts, but this one keeps your attention. |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Soul Between the Lines by Dorothy Randall Gray (
) |
| Summary: | In her book, Dorothy Randall Gray teaches people how to look within themselves and to draw from their creative spirit thru writing. She gives several examples of ways to get the words flowing onto the page. This is not a technical manual, but a spiritual one. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Tears of the Renegade by Linda Howard (
) |
| Summary: | Easy to read book. A fast read. You can tell it first came out in the 80's. |
| Reviewed by: | KELLY FREELS (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of a person who follows his dreams and fulfills his personal legend. It is a story of encouragement for all of us to follow our dreams and that no two people's dreams are the same. It is a fairly quick read but I couldn't put it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Bear and tthe Dragon by Tom Clancy (
) |
| Summary: | Every time I think Clancy has taken the Jack Ryan character as far as he can go, he surprises me. This is a good read, with all the techno-speak Clancy is so good at making understandable and tieing in all of his usual cast of characters along with a few new ones. As Ryan is only in his 1st year of his 1st full term as President, it seems that Clancy can probably fit 4 or 5 more novels into Ryan's Presidency. I wonder what Clancy has in store for Ryan in his post-presidential years? |
| Reviewed by: | Phil Gruender (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | THE DIARY OF "V", THE AFFAIR by DEBRA KENT (
) |
| Summary: | Sexy adult book. I was reading it every chance I got. Ending leaves you wanting more. |
| Reviewed by: | KELLY FREELS (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | The Edge of Town by Dorothy Garlock (
) |
| Summary: | Fans of Dorothy Garlock will not be disappointed. |
| Reviewed by: | Kelly Freels (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | The Golden Ocean by Patrick O'Brian (
) |
| Summary: | If you want to get a sense of life on board a British war ship in the early 18th century, you must read Patrick O'Brian. This book was a precursor of his acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series (those should be read in order). O'Brian died earlier this year and I've now read all of his historical sea stories. It's sad when you can no longer look forward to new material from a favorite author. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | The Good Mother by Sue Miller (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of Anna Dunlap, who is newly divorced and all the twists her life takes. The story tends to wander. The outcome is rather predictable. I read this book because I enjoyed Sue Miller's book "While I Was Gone". This book did not live up to my expectations. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (
) |
| Summary: | This is a romp through space that is full of the absurd. Arthur Dent, a man from Earth, hooks up with Ford Prefect, a man from the vicinity of Betelgeuse. Together they travel through space meeting a host of interesting beings and finding out the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Iron Hand of Mars by Lindsey Davis (
) |
| Summary: | Interesting concept - a detective novel set in the time of the Roman Empire. Clever dialog. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | The Marsh King's Daughter by Elizabeth Chadwick (
) |
| Summary: | A historical romance, picked up by accident, is not the read that I normally enjoy. This book reminded me why that is. A contrived plot with predictable happenings. |
| Reviewed by: | Shannon Morgan (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (
) |
| Summary: | Short, quick, and entertaining. Another love story to enjoy on those hot summer days. Sparks certainly knows how to capture his audience. Try Message In A Bottle if you liked The Notebook. WOW! What a great author! Also catch the movie version--a bit different but still good. |
| Reviewed by: | Paula Light (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (
) |
| Summary: | Great reading! Wonderful story. What a master at telling a lifetime story of 2 people in love. Old fashioned romance and true fortitude. Mr. Sparks is a remarkable storyteller. I highly recommend this book. |
| Reviewed by: | Kristine Clark (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Origin by Irving Wallace (
) |
| Summary: | The book introduced Darwin as a son, husband, father, friend, person, writer and scientist. It shows how important each leg of the journey on HMS Beagle was in formulating the Theory of Evolution. It describes the effort and tension Darwin had to face before Theroy of evolution was published. |
| Reviewed by: | Geeta Raju (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coehlo (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of a pilgrimage along the road of San Tiago across Spain. You meet the pilgrim's guide and many more people who help to teach him the spiritual secrets he needs to learn. It is an excellant read. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J, Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (
) |
| Summary: | This is a wonderful journey to the Biblical time of Jacob and a fascinating look at life among the women who were Jacob's wives. It has been written that The Red Tent is the Bible told from a woman's point of view. That woman is Dinah, Jacob's only daughter. She calls herself a "footnote" in the Bible, but as narrator here she elucidates the sisterhood that exists among the women and fleshes out personalities for Biblical names as her own story takes shape. It is an interesting story, too. Though the Bible says Dinah was raped, Dinah disputes this in her version of events in The Red Tent. You do not need to read Genesis 27-50 to understand and enjoy Dinah's story, but it is intriguing to see how the author has embellished this part of the Bible to weave a fascinating story of the joys and sorrows of the women of that time. |
| Reviewed by: | Barbara Dane (at Evesham Library) |
| Book: | The Secret Names of Women by Lynne Barrett (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book of short stories. Each story is different from the last, but they all deal with relationships. I met the author at a conference where she read one of her stories. i found the stories intriguing. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming (
) |
| Summary: | I haven't read one of these in 20 years - thought I'd see if the books offered more than the movies. This one moves slowly and James Bond doesn't even make an appearance until halfway through. Very sexist, as you might expect. Story line pretty weak. |
| Reviewed by: | PHILIP GRUENDER (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | The Villa by Nora Roberts (
) |
| Summary: | This book was a very well told story. Typical Nora Roberts! Hard at first to get into, but then you are totally engrossed in the characters and don't want to put the book down. The ending was a surprise! Excellent! |
| Reviewed by: | Catherine Alphonse (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Three men in a boat by Jerome K. Jerome (
) |
| Summary: | I read this world famous novel years ago, and decided to do it again. It is the humorous misadventures of three young Englishmen at the end of the nineteenth century, who decide to take a leisurely trip up the Thames river in a double sculled boat. The humor lies in the digressions and the trip was a riot: they had trouble getting fresh water and an old lock tender told them he always used river water. Just as they sat down to tea made with river water, a dead dog floated by. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Traitor: the Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz (
) |
| Summary: | This teen biography is not just a book of facts about Benedict Arnold. It is the story of his life written in such a way to give you insight into his personality and character. That insight helps one to understand why he betrayed his country after being one of its best generals. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan McIntyre (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albon (
) |
| Summary: | Great book. Read it in less than 24 hrs. Bring lots of Kleenex! You'll need it! |
| Reviewed by: | Kelly Freels (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | Typhoon by Joseph Conrad (
) |
| Summary: | I found this short story to be confusing and repetitious. I found the characters flat. The suspense lacked any energy or passion. All in all I found it quite dull. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Warrior class by Dale Brown (
) |
| Summary: | Dale Brown has written some terrific techno-thrillers, however he has adapted poorly to the loss of the Soviet Union as his number 1 bad guy. His scenarios have become increasingly unrealistic and he's twisting the world scene to fit his story instead of the other way around. |
| Reviewed by: | Phil Gruender (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | Women in Praise of the Sacred by Ed. by Jane Hirshfield (
) |
| Summary: | This is a collection of poetry written by women from all over the world. The poems go as far back as ca. 2300 B.C.E. and come as far as the present. Some of the translations do not read easily. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book as the subtitle says about "freeing the writer within". It is not about the nuts and bolts of writing; nor is it about how to be a "successful" writer. Rahter it is about becoming creative when writing for any purpose. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta J. Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
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