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Adult Summer Reading Program
| Adult Summer Reading Program |
| Book: | A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (
) |
| Summary: | This classic reminds me of the style of Edgar Allen Poe. it is a fascinating tale of obsession and beauty and what that obsession can lead to in someone's life. It is a fascinating tale that captured my attention. It is a quick read and a good beach book. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (
) |
| Summary: | This is the true story of two men who try to walk the complete Appliachian Trail in one summer. The problem is that they neither one knows what they are doing or is prepared for the trail. The book is filled with facts about the trail and its history. There are many laugh out loud stories of the experiences Bill Bryson and his friend have along their walk. It is a great summer read, light and quick with many laughs. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Asking For Trouble by Elizabeth Young (
) |
| Summary: | This book is a scream and it's hard to put down. Sophy is a sucessful businesswoman in Britain. Successful in work that is, which is not successful enough for her mother who wants Sophy to find a nice fellow and settle down. So, what's a girl to do? Sophy ingeniously invents a boyfriend - Dominic - handsome, witty, wealthy, you get the picture. Which is all well and good until Sophy's younger sister announces she is getting married. Now Sophy must produce said boyfriend for the festivities. Ever resourceful, she hires Joshua from a local escort agency. As the lies keep snowballing, the madcap mishaps that ensue are just hilarious. Enjoy!! |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler (
) |
| Summary: | Rebecca (Beck) Davitch wonders about the road not taken. She is the fifty-ish mother of one daughter, stepmother of three more daughters and proprietor of a party business "Open Arms" run in her turn-of-the-century house. Her husband died after just six years of marriage. Now as her children develop lives of their own with offspring of their own, she wonders what life would have been like had she chosen differently. This causes her to look up an old beau and the story that ensues is at once sweet and painful as she examines the "what ifs" of her life. Anne Tyler writes with a voice that sounds surprisingly familiar, it's the one you hear in your own head as you question whether or not you've chosen rightly and well. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Bicycle built for murder by Kate Kingsbury (
) |
| Summary: | This strory takes place in Sitting Marsh, England during WWII. Beryl Pierce ends up dead at the bottom of a seaside cliff. Lady Elizabeth "investigates" the murder for Beryl's mum. It turns out Beryl had a secret life and the murderer was someone who didn't have a real alibi. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Billy Straight by Jonathan Kellerman (
) |
| Summary: | A great suspense novel. Written in the first hand of the child, about his puckish fight to be brave in the world of his ghetto. A cast of charactes you'll think are real, and would love to have them on your side, or not.I reccommend this highly. |
| Reviewed by: | Kris CLark (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks (
) |
| Summary: | Wyn Morrison's husband leaves her. Suddenly she is left without the life of privilege she was accustomed to and must make her own way in the world. She does this in Seattle with the help of her best friend and a handsome bartender. Wyn goes back to her roots, baking bread (recipes included!). She discovers her true self and what really matters. Her insights are at once wise and witty. Another good beach read. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston - Lincoln Child (
) |
| Summary: | Fast pace reading. A hunt for a seemingly immotal serial killer at work in New York City. |
| Reviewed by: | Nina VanDeleur (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (
) |
| Summary: | Enjoyable pageturner. Murder mystery that floats you along with the clues. Ending wraps up nicely with a promise of further story lines. |
| Reviewed by: | (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Claire Marvel by John Burnham Schwartz (
) |
| Summary: | I truly enjoyed this book. It was a love story that really hit my heart. The characters were easy to relate to and compassionate. This is the first love story I have enjoyed since "The Bridges of Madison County". |
| Reviewed by: | Kimberly Slater (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse (
) |
| Summary: | I listened to this six tape unabridged version. It takes place in England in the 1920's. Bertie Wooster is sent by his Aunt Dahlia to Totleigh Towers to steal a valuable silver cow creamer and of course there is merry mayhem. This went on too long but I will still enjoy the Jeeves and Wooster series. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Common Sense by Thomas Paine (
) |
| Summary: | This is a short pamphlet written by one of the famous revolutionaries. It is short but not at all easy reading. With the political climate of our day, I think it is important to go back and really see for ourselves what the "Founding Fathers" had to say in their own words, rather than someone else's interpretation of them. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Crooks by Peter Whalley (
) |
| Summary: | This is the third in the series starring Harry Sommers, a new detective in London. He is hired by Leo, a shady porno cinema owner, to find someone for a job. As an extra reward, Harry is given the keys to a posh villa on the Costa del Sol in Spain to use for two weeks with his girlfriend Jill. While there, they meet Leo's former henchmen who are in exile in Spain, on the run from British justice. One of the men is missing and another one turns up dead in his swimming pool. And then back home, another murder happens. This has a twist in the end. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Death in the old country by Eric Wright (
) |
| Summary: | Charlie Salter and his wife are on vacation in England. He is a Police Inspector from Toronto, Canada. They end up in Tokesbury Mallet staying at a wonderful hotel where the owner gets murdered. Charlie is investigating all over including the East End of London and in Pisa, Italy. It has a confusing plot but some of the wry comments are very funny. And there is a great description of a steeplechase. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Delighted by Beatrice Small, Susan Johnson, et al. (
) |
| Summary: | Several adult erotic love stories, a little spicier than your average love story. |
| Reviewed by: | Kelly Freels (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | Desperado by Diana Palmer (
) |
| Summary: | This book was half adventure and the other half was romance. Life is hard enough but misunderstanding and mistrust make it even harder. This book shows that some things are not as they seem and it proves everyone deserves a second chance. This book is a hard look at what a cruel world we live in. It shows a good childhood and what they now suffer from. It will make you look at your life and who you are. |
| Reviewed by: | Jaime Dougherty (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Dying to Please by Linda Howard (
) |
| Summary: | Couldn't put this one down! If you like mystery/love stories rolled into one, you'll love this! |
| Reviewed by: | Kelly Freels (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | Dying to Please by Linda Howard (
) |
| Summary: | Sarah Stevens is a real-live butler. She is also a bodyguard. She works for a retired judge in a well-to-do enclave. Then the judge is murdered and Sarah's off a wild rollercoaster ride in which she is stalked by a potential employer. As the plot thickens, Sarah and the detective assigned to the case discover they have more in common than just the murders. It's a good mystery, an interesting read. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons (
) |
| Summary: | This was an unusual book in the respect that it was written from the viewpoint of a little girl. The entire story was told in her words and although it seemed odd, it worked. I enjoyed reading her tale and all of the obstacles she overcame. This book sparked me to examine certain things in my life and childhood. It also made me think about society and how far we have come but how far we still have to go. |
| Reviewed by: | Kimberly Slater (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (
) |
| Summary: | Why this is considered a classic, I will never know. This is a book filled with two friends traveling to see family and friends. There is a constant stream of inane dialog. I found the whole story pointless and boring. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Find Me by Roseann O'Donnell (
) |
| Summary: | This was a story written by Rosie about her life. It gave you glimpse into this star's life and the troubles she has overcome. The story jumped around from moment to moment which made it confusing to follow. It is a shorter story. |
| Reviewed by: | Toby Popso (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris (
) |
| Summary: | Joanne Harris is the author of "Chocolat". In this new book she explores the complexity of the mother/daughter relationship against the backdrop of World War II France. Mirabelle Dartigen is a widow struggling to raise three children. Her kitchen is her salvation, here she creates culinary marvels to sell at the local markets. She is a stern parent with little warmth for her children and she is plagued by migraines. Boise, her youngest daughter is 9. The story is told as Boise's memoir, looking back some fifty-odd years to that time. As Boise reads her mothers' recipe book she gleans clues into her mother's motivations. And Boise finds echoes in her own mothering. It was an excellent read. I couldn't put it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | For A "Christian America" by Ruth Murray Brown (
) |
| Summary: | This book traces the history of the Religious Right. Ms. Brown contends that it began with the Anti-ERA movement back in the sixties. She presents an interesting premise and a logical arguement. Having lived through much of what she speaks I can't say I always agree with her conclusions. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | For Better, For Worse by Carole Matthews (
) |
| Summary: | Josie Flynn, nearly divorced, flies from London to New York to attend her cousin's wedding. On the plane she meets an attractive rock journalist, Matt Jarvis. The two hit it off immediately. They spend a day together visiting the Statue of Liberty. Then what is supposed to be a comedy of errors ensues. The wedding is disastrous on many levels and Matt spends the majority of his trip in the company of a PR girl, all the while trying to locate Josie at her cousin's wedding. This was supposed to be a hilarious read, but I found it somewhat flat and predictable. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Gifted Grown Ups by MaryLou Kelly Streznewski (
) |
| Summary: | If you have gifted children then you should look in the mirror. MaryLou postulates that gifted kids come from gifted grown ups. This is a book for those who are gifted to understand themselves or for those who have gifted individuals in their lives. Gifted adults are often misunderstood and have trouble "fitting in". This is an interesting look at the lives of gifted adults. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Girl In Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of a painting. The story begins in the 1900's as a professor tries to determine the authenticity of a painting his father had given him. He claims it is a Vermeer, but there is no documentation to confirm it. The subsequent chapters take us back in time to each of the previous owners telling how the painting came into their lives, what it meant to them and how it passed out of their hands. It traces back to the creation of the painting. The book is reminiscent of the movie "The Red Violin" in this respect. Well-done, a good read. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich (
) |
| Summary: | I was greatly disappointed in this latest book by Janet Evanovich. I have enjoyed all the other books in this series, but I found this one lacking. The story seemed to be filled with too much of the formula from the other books and not enough originality. It read very cliche. The few original ideas she added did not work well. Out of loyalty I will read her next book, but I think she needs to move on to something completely new and different. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich (
) |
| Summary: | This book was a disappointment. All the familiar characters and settings are there; Lula, Ranger, Grandma Mazur, Morelli, even Uncle Sandor's Buick, but it just doesn't have the same zing as it's predecessors. A few too many gory corpses, and little too predictable, too formulaic. Hopefully number nine will be back on track. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Hazard by Jo Beverley (
) |
| Summary: | I wasn't impressed with this book, I didn't put it down, but I didn't stay up late to finish it either! |
| Reviewed by: | Kelly Freels (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | Holes by Louis Sachar (
) |
| Summary: | Yes, a children's book. However, this one is worth the read, especially if you have kids. Stanley Yelnats has been wrongfully accused of a crime. His sad childhood is akin to a character out of a Roald Dahl book. The judge gives him a choice between juvenile hall or a camp. He thinks camp sounds better, especially since he has never been to camp. What he does not know is that at this camp he must dig a hole every day in the hot sun , a hole as wide and as deep as his shovel (5 feet). Why he has to dig the holes and how it relates to him personally is the crux of the story. This story is well-written, it draws you in and you won't be able to put it down. It won the Newberry Award in 1999. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan M. Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III (
) |
| Summary: | Summary: Genob Behrani , a former Iranian colonel, escaped from the crumbling Iranian regime with his family and their lives. When he has an chance to buy a small house in California he sees it as an opportunity for his family. Unfortunately, incorrectly displaced owner of the house, Kathy Lazaro, sees it differently. The story of each of them pursuing the Great American Dream while at cross-purposes is at once frustrating and unnerving. It had been so highly praised on Oprah I kept reading waiting for it to get better. It never did. |
| Reviewed by: | Sharon Mackey (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III (
) |
| Summary: | Genob Behrani , a former Iranian colonel, escaped from the crumbling Iranian regime with his family and their lives. When he has an chance to buy a small house in California he sees it as an opportunity for his family. Unfortunately, the former owner of the house, Kathy Lazaro a recovering addict, sees it differently. The story of each of them pursuing the Great American Dream while at cross-purposes is at once compelling and painful. The characters seem so genuine, se clearly drawn. Once I started reading,I wasn't able to put it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Husband, Lover, Stranger by Suzanne Forester (
) |
| Summary: | When the woman's husband disappears for several years, he comes back and doesn't seem like it's really him.... |
| Reviewed by: | KELLY FREELS (at Maple Shade Library) |
| Book: | I Am The Doctor by Jon Pertwee & David J. Howe (
) |
| Summary: | This is the final memoir of Jon Pertwee. He wrote an ealier memoir called "Moonboots and Dinner Suits". This memoir concentrates on his years when he played the TV character Dr. Who. It also gets a little bit into the years he played Wortzel Gummidge. It gives a lot of anecdotes of things that happened to him and his fellow actors while filming the Dr. Who series. It is full of very funny stories and observations. The manuscript for this book was finished just two weeks before Mr. Pertwee's death. It is full of many photographs both color and black and white. It is a wonderful read for any fan of the Dr. Who show. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | In This Mountain by Jan Karon (
) |
| Summary: | After being disappointed in the last book in the "Mitford Series", I was cheered to read this latest installment. It meets the standard I have come to expect from Jan Karon. Be ready to cry tears of sorrow and joy. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Inspector West at home by John Creasey (
) |
| Summary: | In London, Chief Inspector Roger West is framed, accused of taking a bribe of a thousand pounds. West is given a month to clear himself (boy do his bosses not trust him). He plunges into a mystery involving murder, international conspiracy and corruption at Scotland Yard. There is quite a lot of violence in this story: West is severely beaten three times, there is kidnapping, arson, guns, martial arts and a body under the floor boards. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Joy School by Elizabeth Berg (
) |
| Summary: | I wasn't real excited about reading this book, but it was a title easily available to our book group after our first choice turned out be to too tough to locate. The plot and character were not of great interest to me: twelve year old new girl in town wants to find friends and fit in at her new school. It sounded more suitable for an adolescent reader. Boy, was I caught by surprise. Once I started it, I finished it--weeks ahead of our next meeting date. Totally out of character for me to finish a book less than a day--or hours-- before our next meeting. What kept me reading was the dichotomy of watching Katie react outwardly to events around her but then also to see what she's really thinking and feeling inside. There is a wealth of humor, warmth, and sorrow between the two throughout the novel. She meets her first--and what she believes will be her only--love in life in a 23-year old gas station attendant/owner. She struggles and waivers between the mundane but safe friendship with Cynthia and the exciting but dangerous friendship with Taylor. Add to this a stern, stoic, and possibly abusive father, a dead and sorely missed mother, and a sister who's runaway from the family to live with her boyfriend only to return at Thanksgiving--pregnant. It sounds like a soap opera doesn't it? It's the world inside Katie's head that keeps it from being so sterotyped. It's fun and painful to watch her struggle. Sit with a box of tissues nearby for the last fifteen pages of the book. |
| Reviewed by: | Barbara Dane (at Evesham Library) |
| Book: | Laura: America's First Lady, First Mother by Antonia Felix (
) |
| Summary: | Laura was an biography of the first lady - from when she was born to the time of September 11th. It tells about her childhood in Texas; how and when she met George Bush; about being the first lady of texas; her job before that and her job now as first lady. It includes her feelings about what happened to the country on Sept. 11th. It was very informative and interesting. |
| Reviewed by: | Toby Popso (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (
) |
| Summary: | This is a short book of letters written by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke to a young poet by the name of Frank Kappus. We only see the letters written by Mr. Rilke, but we can infer the questions asked by the young poet. The book is full of wisdom and encouragement. The version I read also gave some background as to Mr. Rilke's life at the time of the correspondence. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Lost Legends of New Jersey by Frederick Reiker (
) |
| Summary: | Romeo and Juliet set in Livingston New Jersey. But it's more than that. Anthony Rubin is a young hockey player. He is in love with the girl next door who is in love with a crummy guy. Anthony's father is fooling around with the next-door neighbor. Anthony's mother leaves to become a deep-sea diver in Florida. Anthony's grandfather discovers love in a nursing home and flies to Las Vegas to tie the knot. Sounds outrageous, sounds too far-fetched but the the characters are sympathetic and believable and the prose is lyrical. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | LT'S theory of Pets by Stephen King (
) |
| Summary: | This is another great book in the world of Stephen King. This Siamese cat is it on a stick. He thinks of the softness of romance while in this theory of pets. I liked it immensely. |
| Reviewed by: | Kris CLark (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Making Peace: One Woman's Journey Around the World by Jan Phillips (
) |
| Summary: | This book contains beautiful photographs and stories from Jan's peace journey around the world. She tells of the wonderful people she meets in several nations and their reaction to her slide show which shows the peace movement that was taking place here in America at the time. Jan's stories are poignant and the photographs bring them alive. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Mortician's birthday party by Peter Whalley (
) |
| Summary: | George Webster was the mortician at the Arncaster Hospital in England. He attended hundreds of post-mortems which was very convenient when he decided to murder his wife. He used his work space to cut up her body into fifteen parts and used other people's coffins to dispose of her. He gets away with it too, but there are a lot of twists in the end. The timelines were a little confusing to me, it was good to read the first chapter again. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan (
) |
| Summary: | This is the story of the author's journey in the outback. The Real People accept her into their group on a walk about. They teach her the lessons of universal oneness. They share their ancient wisdom with her by their practical ways of surviving in the desolate land of Australia. It is a fascinating read. I highly recommend it. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (
) |
| Summary: | This is a mystery with a lot of twists and turns. It turns a little gruesome at the end, so if that sort of thing bothers you I wouldn't recommend this book to you. But if you like a mystery that leads you down many avenues then this is the book for you. It has good character development. You feel like you could meet anyone of these people walking down the street. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Night Tales by Nora Roberts (
) |
| Summary: | A collection of four novels in one, so you don't have to wait for the next book in line. They are all here. The very best in todays love stories. All about the other side of our lives, how the night people live. Very compelling reading. I love Nora Roberts. I hope you become a fan too. |
| Reviewed by: | Kristine Clark (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | NOT GUILTY by PATRICIA MCDONALD (
) |
| Summary: | WHAT A GREAT BOOK. IT KEPT MY INTEREST TO THE VERY LAST PAGE. WHAT A TWIST OF A ENDING. A VERY DEVELOPED PLOT AND STORY LINE. HER CHARACTERS WERE VERY DEFINED. I WILL LOOK FOR MORE OF HER BOOKS |
| Reviewed by: | MELISSA BECKOFF (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Old murders by Peter Whalley (
) |
| Summary: | This British mystery was really a page turner. The protagonist is Christian Lewis, an architect, who works for Percy Jordan's firm (his father-in-law). Four high-rise housing towers are being demolished when two skeletons are found in the foundation. Percy had designed those buildings in the 1960's. Christian plays detective and is really good at it, only he keeps getting threatened to stop. There's a twist at the end. This was a good story. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Orchid Beach by Stuart Woods (
) |
| Summary: | I really enjoyed this book. Holly Barker left the a promising career in the army after unsuccessfully charging a superior officer with sexual harrassment. As luck would have it, her dad's chum has an opening in his police force for a deputy police chief. Unlucky for him, he is shot in the head the night before Holly starts her job. How Holly unravels the case while fresh on the job is the crux of the story. Is there a corrupt member on her staff? Who can she trust? And then a second murder follows right on the heels of the first. She's got her hands full. Her only consolation is the dog she inherits from the second murder victim. Daisy, a Doberman is a smart and loyal companion. This one will keep you turning the pages. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawks (
) |
| Summary: | This book is the surreal true adventure story of a British man who, on a bet, undertakes the great task of playing against the entire Moldovan soccer team-- at tennis! (not all at once, of course) It is a funny book. It is very funny. I laughed out loud. The author relates his adventures in such a friendly, amusing way that you wish you could have gone along to Moldova with him. You'll find yourself hoping against hope that he can accomplish his crazy goal. |
| Reviewed by: | Erin Cooper (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Report from Ground Zero by Dennis Smith (
) |
| Summary: | Dennis Smith is a firefighter from New York. This is his report from September 11th through his eyes. It was well written account of the day and the days after. It had various interviews from other firemen and their families. Very informative book. |
| Reviewed by: | Toby Popso (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Robbers by Peter Whalley (
) |
| Summary: | This book is another great read. I love how Kirkus Book Reviews said it was medium-boiled, as opposed to hard or soft? Harry Sommers is a brand new detective trying to solve a murder and blackmail situation for one of his acquaintances from his past life as a bouncer/bodyguard. The story revolves around a payroll robbery from eight years ago in London. And the villain is someone you don't expect. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Rogues by Peter Whalley (
) |
| Summary: | The second Harry Sommers adventure takes place in St. Stephen's Bay near Brighton, England. He is hired to investigate a series of practical jokes at an arcade on the sea front. These jokes become threatening and then Nick Wyatt, and employee of the arcade, is shot and killed. It was obvious who it was but not why. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs (
) |
| Summary: | The title got me, but the story drew me in. This memoir is both funny and tragic. It tells a story beyond belief, yet too obsurd not to be true. It is well written and an easy read. I couldn't put it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Saving Faith by David Baldacci (
) |
| Summary: | Faith Lockhart is the assistant to a powerful Washington lobbyist, Danny Buchanan. Buchanan has seen the error of his wheeling and dealing ways, now he blackmails senators and representatives for schemes that will promote better conditions for children of third-world countries. He spends much of his own monies trying to accomplish this. Robert Thornhill a CIA superpatriot wants Buchanan out of the picture and hires a Russian hitman. The hitman kills an FBI agent protecting Faith. She hooks up with a fit and trim PI by the name of Lee Adams and they are on the run. I didn't care for this book. I found the characters too unbelievable in their altruism and the plot too predicatable. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Sea Glass by Anita Shreve (
) |
| Summary: | This is the third of Anita Shreve's books to use this particular house as it's setting. The two previous books were "The Pilot's Wife" and "Fortune's Rocks". This time the story begins with newlyweds Honora and Sexton Beecher, just starting their new life together as they moved into this old, abandoned home. The theme of this book is easily "Marry in haste repent at leisure". Sexton and Honora have known each other only four months when they get married. Sexton has a job as a typewriter salesman. He has big dreams and hopes, unfortunately the stock market crash hits, the Great Depression sets in and their life is not so easy as they would have hoped. Honora finds that Sexton is not honest in either his business dealings or with her. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Season in purgatory by Dominick Dunn (
) |
| Summary: | This audio tape was abridged but I liked it, since I had tried to read the book but couldn't. It is a fiction story: a thinly-veiled disquised version of the Martha Moxley murder in Connecticut twenty years ago. In this one the murderer gets off with a not guily verdict, but yesterday Skaakel was sentenced to twenty years. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | She Walks These Hills by Sharon McCrumb (
) |
| Summary: | This murder mystery takes place in the Smokey Mountains. It is filled with folklore from that region. There are many story lines that the author masterfully brings together at the end of the book. This was an excellent read, and being my first of this author, I plan to seek out more of her work. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Springwater Wedding by Linda Lael Miller (
) |
| Summary: | This was an up to date story from the town of Springwater. the characters were related to the prevoious set of a books Miller wrote before. It was a love story that had twists and turns and other side stories. Great read. I couldn't put it down until I was finished. |
| Reviewed by: | Toby Popso (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Step-Ball-Change; A Novel by Jeanne Ray (
) |
| Summary: | The delightful author of "Julie and Romeo" is back. Again the main character is a woman in her sixties. This time she is dealing with her daughter's wedding, her younger (semi-estranged) sister who moves in (with her dog!), the ongoing struggle to finish an addition to their house and running a dance studio. The story about renewing the relationship with her younger sister is poignant and rings true. The prose is straight forward, funny and unflinching. This gal could be a neighbor or a best friend. A good beach read. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Summer Sisters by Judy Blume (
) |
| Summary: | This was an adult fiction from Judy blume. It was a story of two teenage girls that would go to the east coast on summer vacation. The story took place over the years following the two girls in their travels and their friendship. Easy read |
| Reviewed by: | Toby Popso (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | Summer Sisters by Judy Blume (
) |
| Summary: | Summer Sisters opens with the impeding wedding of one of two friends who have drifted apart. The maid-of-honor is quite upset when she finds out who her friend is marrying. Then we are brought back to their carefree childhood summers on Martha's Vineyard. It's definitely a page turner and I especially enjoyed the synopses at the end of some chapters expressing the thoughts of selected characters. It's a perfect book for summer reading. |
| Reviewed by: | Joette Codispoti (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Sweet death come softly by Barbara Whitehead (
) |
| Summary: | This is a short contemporary British mystery taking place in York. The scene is a factory making chocolates. Pierre Fontaine is missing and he is about to reveal a secret recipe to a new elite chocolate product to the company owners Faith and Hannah Benn. He does turn up dead about two weeks later, shrink wrapped on a pallet of finished boxed chocolates. I felt this book was not that involving, especially since York is such a fabulous city. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Baron at Large by John Creasey (
) |
| Summary: | I like thin Bristish mysteries and this fits the bill. I've read Creasey's "Gideon" books but not the Toff or Inspector West. The Baron is the jewel thief alter ego of John Mannering, an English aristocrat. He has supposedly left his theiving behind, but all through this book, he is constantly the Baron. A large number of jewels are stolen during a country weekend and two people are murdered. I should have made a list of the characters, because in the end, the culprit was somebody I didn't even remember. That's all of the Baron I'm going to read. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Beach House by James Patterson (
) |
| Summary: | This book was a quick summer read. Easy to read, some suspense and mystery. Takes place on Long Island where a murder occurs on Memorial Day weekend. A "David and Goliath" theme with a great ending and a surprise witness. Very entertaining and fun read. |
| Reviewed by: | Joanie Shepherd (at Evesham Library) |
| Book: | The Cottage by Danielle Steel (
) |
| Summary: | Another wonderful story by Danielle Steel. It was a story about a broke star who has many different moments in his life. It also includes the two housemates that he has brought into the cottage to save money. Great and easy to read. I didn't want to put it down until I was done. |
| Reviewed by: | Toby Popso (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | The Dream Room by Marcel Moring (
) |
| Summary: | This book did not strike me as anything special. This story, about a family set in the 1960's, left you wondering what else there was to the story. The beginning of the novel was interesting but then it felt as if you were just cut off without a true ending. |
| Reviewed by: | Kimberly Slater (at Burlington County Library) |
| Book: | The Essential Rumi by Translated by Coleman Barks (
) |
| Summary: | This is a collection of poerty written by the 13th century Sufi mystic Jelalludin Rumi. The poetry is beautiful and spiritually charged. It is a book I read over and over again, especially my favorite passages. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Fountain by Emily Grayson (
) |
| Summary: | This was a quick read. It is about 2 people who were once together, and after 20 years they meet again. They try to rekindle what they once had but for specific reasons it doesn't work. A very good book (as are her other ones). |
| Reviewed by: | Jennifer Braunstein (at Pinelands Library) |
| Book: | The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book that discusses patterns in our lives and how they affect our spirituality. He explains the various concepts and how to use them to forward our spiritual growth. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The girl with red suspenders by Barbara Whitehead (
) |
| Summary: | Another mystery in York, England. Detective Inspector Dave Smart is coming off a night shift, when Sunday morning after dawn he finds Patricia Feltame dead near the river. He felt he could have loved her if he had met her before. During the investigation, he discovers it was murder and she may have caused her own death by meddling in the drug world in York. This was an okay book, but still not much about the city of York. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobosky (
) |
| Summary: | This is a re-read for me and I enjoyed it this time as much as I did a few years ago when I read it the first time. It is a group of letters written by a fictious high school freshman to an unidentified "friend". In these letters the writer tells the tale of his life being a wallflower in high school. It is funny and light and just slightly sad. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Sandra Brown Collection by Sandra Brown (
) |
| Summary: | This is a collection of 3 different book, all in one. These are what I refer to as summer beach books. Very well written, you see the people and the games they play. They are your typical couple beautiful, young, monied and successful. But I still enjoyed them, it's a change of pace, from biographies etc. I recommend them if you want light and titilating reading. |
| Reviewed by: | Kristine Clark (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Shipping News by Anne E. Proulx (
) |
| Summary: | Quoyle, a bumbling, heavyset, insecure fellow, dotes on a wife who openly hates him, cheats on him, and finally dies on him in a horrendous car crash. This event sets in motion an encounter with a long forgotten aunt who persuades him to abandon his dead end life in the States and journey to a Newfoundland fishing town to reclaim and reside in the long abandoned and dilapidated family homestead. The house is in as much of a shambles as his life. Fortunately, though, the town is filled with such a wacky cast of characters no one sees him as the misfit he has always felt himself to be. This is a fun book to read. It has a dark and ironic but very funny humor. It has characters that are unbelieveable but totally real. It has events that surprise the reader but not the townspeople. It's out on video--haven't seen it yet--too busy still enjoying the book as it lingers in my mind. |
| Reviewed by: | Barbara Dane (at Evesham Library) |
| Book: | The Sixth Star by Mae Sliver & Sue Cazaly (
) |
| Summary: | This short easy to read book follows California women's political history 1868-1915. It is full of pictures and articles from the time that are explained in brief essays. It is enough of a taste to make one want to find out more. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Summons by John Grisham (
) |
| Summary: | As always, John Grisham tells a tale that flows without a hitch. He explores the corrosive effects of money. Not just on those who chase it (Grisham seems to be saying it is futile to think there is anything the law can do when the the money pile gets to certain heights - timely comment today as the rich sell their stock 'just in time'), but on those who have it thrust upon them. The 3 main characters represent the rigidly scrupulous, the easily honest who has had no serious temptation and the repetitive failure. But the characters are not one-dimentional. I am still thinking about them. |
| Reviewed by: | Deborah O'Donnell (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Toltec Way by Dr. Susan Gregg (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book that is meant to help those who are on a spiritual journey. Dr. Gregg teaches a method for living in domininion (oneness with all) rather than in domination (competition with all). The path she lays out is not an easy one but it is fascinating. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The torso in the town by Simon Brett (
) |
| Summary: | This is the third in the series of mysteries taking place in and around Fethering, a small town on the coast of England. The two main caharacters are Carole Seddon and Jude (no last name), her neighbor. A preserved torso of a woman is found in Fedborough 8 miles up river and Lady Virginia Hargreaves went missing 3 years before! Carole and Jude investigate at a good pace and the characters are well developed. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | The Waking Dream: Unlocking the Symbolic Language of our liv by Ray Grasse (
) |
| Summary: | This book is a fascinating look at the history of the use of omens and symbols in our daily lives, and the decline and the resurgence of their use. It is an intriguing book but a bit dry as it is written rather like a textbook. It will help the reader to determine the meaning of the symbols they encounter as part of their daily living. If you are interested in this subject I think you will enjoy this book. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Treasure at Oxford by David Williams (
) |
| Summary: | It is summer at Oxford University and the Moneybuckle Endowment (an architectural library) is having an annual meeting. Mark Treasure is the chairman and all the governors can talk about is the three sketches attributed to the famous painter John Constable found in an old Bible in town. But murder happens and Mr. Treasure seems to take over. He has no official standing and he keeps the clues to himself. There are 9 other Treasure mysteries but I don't think I'll read them. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Tribeca Grill cookbook by Don Pintabona, chef-owner (
) |
| Summary: | This book was in the list of books recommended by the library to read this summer. This one has delicious recipes from the restaurant in NYC including hors d'oeuvres, brunch, salads, sandwiches, risotto through entrees, vegetables and desserts. Just to eat in this place would be wonderful. It also has celebrity anecdotes throughout (the one on Nelson Mandela was great). I am photocopying two to try. By the way the owners include Bill Murray, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Christopher Walken and Robert DeNiro. |
| Reviewed by: | Jane Snow (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | What If God Were The Sun? by John Edward (
) |
| Summary: | This is a novel dealing with the sprirtuallity of the loved ones we have lost. It is a quick but profound read. I cried my way through the whole book, so have plenty of tissues at hand as you read this one. |
| Reviewed by: | Roberta Taylor (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | When Rabbit Howls by The Troops for Truddi Chase (
) |
| Summary: | This is a book about a woman with multiple personality disorder, written by the personalities themselves. It is a fascinating study of psychology and of the endlessly complex and astounding human mind. It is also a very moving, sad, and thought-provoking personal account. I recommend it, although be warned-- the book contains graphic descriptions of abuse. |
| Reviewed by: | Erin Cooper (at Bordentown Library) |
| Book: | Wish You Well by David Baldacci (
) |
| Summary: | This book is a departure from David Baldacci's usual thrillers. This story, set in the 1940s, is the story of a young girl, Louisa Mae Cardinal and her brother. After a tragic car accident in which their father is killed and their mother is left comatose, they are sent to live with their great-grandmother in rural Virginia in the mountains. This rustic way of life is a departure for them after living in New York, but they soon learn its charms and its values as they gradually heal their souls. Their lives are touched by the people they come in contact with; Diamond- a young boy from the mountains, Cotton- a small town lawyer (shades of Harper Lee), Eugene - a farmhand, and not least of all their grandmother, the original Louisa Mae Cardinal, a formidable woman. This story is compelling, you won't be able to put it down. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
| Book: | Wit by Emma Thompson, Mike Nichols (
) |
| Summary: | OK, OK, so it is a video and not a book. Excuuuuse me! :) Anyway, this was an HBO special made by Mike Nichols starring Emma Thompson. It is based on a Pulitzer-Prize winning play by Margaret Edson. Emma Thompson plays Vivian Bearing a former English professor with a biting, acerbic with (hence the title.) We are introduced to her through her monologues, as she is first diagnosed with stage four malignant ovarian cancer. There is no stage five, she tells us. We follow her as she undergoes an excruciating eight-month clinical trial of an experimental drug. Her incisive insights into the human side of the medical establishment are at once funny and painful, especially if you have ever lost a loved one to cancer, or fought cancer yourself. Watch it with a big box of tissues and a loved one. |
| Reviewed by: | Susan Gavin-Leone (at Cinnaminson Library) |
|
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