The Chase by Clive Cussler

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This is a wonderful, historical, action-adventure story. The story begins in 1950 when a locomotive is being salvaged from a lake in Montana. The majority of the story takes place in 1906 when Detective Isaac Bell begins his search for the notorious Butcher Bandit. The Butcher Bandit is so called because he kills every one at the scene of the robbery including children. Bell begins his investigation and slowly pieces together clues until he comes to the conclusion that he knows the identity, a suprising person. Then the chase is on. I like the historical tidbits, the discriptions of automobiles and so on. The final chase, on trains, is something a little different and makes for a great read. The end of the book returns to 1950 with the raising of the final car and the story wrap up.

If you like action- adventure type novels, I think you will like this one.

4

Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith

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I loved this book as much as I have love all the others in the series.

As usual we get a glimpse of Mma Ramotswe's gentle life in Botswana as she sets out to do what she does best--help people with their problems and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Mma Ramotswe must find a family for a woman who just found out that she was adopted. She found this out when her adoptive mother died so she doesn't know her real name of whether any members of her family are now living. Mma Makutsi's fiance, Phuti Radiphuti, buys her a beautiful new bed. Unfortunately, she is a bit careless and causes herself trouble. The name of the story comes from the business owned by Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe's husband. He swindled by a doctor who promised a miracle cure for his daughter, who can not walk. Mma Ramotswe finds this hard to believe. One more problem is that some one leaves threatning letters. But she deals with these difficulties with her usual grace and good humor, and in the end the miracles that occur at Speedy Motors are small but heart warming ones.

If you haven't read this series I think you would love it!

5

Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett

I love reading Terry Pratchett's Discworld books because they are funny. In this book Something, magic that is not of wizards, is influencing the area known as Holy Wood and drawing people there. A group of alchemists, drawn there, have invented clicks or moving pictures. It is soon apparent to Victor and Ginger, the most popular actors in Holy Wood, thanks to Gaspode the talking dog, that dark forces are behind this over night popularity of clicks and want to take over the Discworld. The fight to save Discworld is dramatic and funny. Hollywood references abound.

This, like all the Discworld books, is a parody and a fantasy. It was not my favorite book in the series but I enjoyed it all the same. If you have not read any of these books I suggest you start with The Color of Magic, The Truth or Guards! Guards!

3

Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner By Lisa Wingate

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Chick Lit at it's best. I loved Lisa Wingate's "Lone Star Cafe" so I had to give this one a try. I didn't like it quite as much but still liked it a lot.

Lindsey, the twin sister of Laura (main character of "Lone Star Cafe") Is set adrift when her daughter goes to Mexico for a summer visit with her father. Lindsey joins her sister in Texas on an undercover mission to find stolen dinosaur tracks. Laura has talked her into taking a horse-psychology classes as a cover. She saves a big white dog from being killed by a rancher. Then she meets Zach Truitt, the rancher/owner of the place. Through serious and funny situations, Lindsey and her daughter find home.

4

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

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This book was very well written but I feel that I missed out on a lot not being Jewish or being familiar with Yiddish. I had to stop a lot and look up references and words through out the story.

I found it interesting that Chabon created this alternate history setting for his characters. One one hand this was a detective story with the good guys investigating a murder at a flea bag hotel. On the other hand it was an alternative history story of a people fighting for a homeland.

As serious as the story was I really enjoyed the play on words and funny phrases the author included.

Go here for a plot summary. I'm afraid I can't do it without giving too much away, so the choice is yours!

3

The Bonesetter's Daughter

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I love this book, it was wonderful. I'm going to give it a great big 5.

The story is divided into two parts with the daughter's story bracketing the mother's.

In the beginning Ruth is struggling with the relationships in her life. She is feeling lost in her relationship with Art and doesn't understand what is happening with her mother, LuLing. When she finally decides to have her mother's writing translated to English she learns about her mother, many things she didn't know. Not reading this mirrors that same action by her mother concerning Precious Auntie's writing. The middle of the book tells LuLing's story. The end of this book returns to Ruth, who now has a greater understanding of her mother. Please read this!

The Unnatural Inquirer

This is book eight of the Nightside series. Private investigator John Taylor is hired by the Unnatural Inquirer to find and bring back a special DVD knows as "The Afterlife Recording". The Inquirer paid a fortune to Pen Donavon for the DVD that is said to show there is life after death but before they can lay hands on it, both Donavon and the disk disappear. The Inquirer has offered Taylor one million pounds to trace and deliver the DVD to their office, but only if he will work with Bettie Divine, a half-demon reporter. There are plenty of other creatures seeking the DVD as well, including the Collector, Kid Cthulhu and the Removal Man. Luckily for John he was able to aquire a divice at the begining of the book that helped out.

I enjoyed this addition to the Nightside series, but I would like to see more of John's powers.

Here is the Nightside series in order:

1. Something from the Nightside

2. Agents of Light and Darkness

3. Nightingale's Lament

4. Hex and the City

5. Paths Not Taken

6. Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth

7. Hell to Pay

3

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Read a plot summary and review I found at Amazon here.

This is said to be one of the greatest novels of all time . I was somewhat hesitant to tackle this book, but am now glad I did if for no other reason than that it is a classic. I found it tedious in places but plowed own through and finished it.

3 (533 pages)

Classic, crime

Dark Watch by Clive Cussler

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I really enjoyed listening to this book. It is the first I've read in this series.It was read by Scott Brick, who did a fantastic job.

Juan Cabrillo and the people of his Corporation, accept a job finding and stopping a piracy ring in Asian waters. In their disguised ship, the Oregon, they pretend to be in trouble hoping to lure in the pirates. They sink the pirate ship and manage to save a large container that had been on the deck. It was full of bodies. People destined to a life of slavery. They also find a survivor on a ship that had been attacked by the pirates and was now submerged.

In an action packed adventure that leads to Russia, Juan and his people solve these crimes and others.

4

The House of Sand and Fog By Andre Dubus III

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Warning: Spoiler.

Massoud Amir Behrani, a former colonel exiled from Iran after a political uprising is now a trash collector and convenience store clerk. Kathy Nicolo, a former drug addict whose husband left her, has been wrongfully evicted from her home by the county.
Behrani buys the house at auction and plans to renovate and resell it for for a large profit. Kathy moves out and he moves his family in. Kathy meets Deputy Lester Burdon, and they become close while they work to get Kathy's house back. She hires a lawyer but is not successful. In the eyes of the law, the Behranis legally own the house.

Drunk and depressed, Kathy goes to her former home and attempts to kill herself twice, first trying to shoot herself and secondly overdosing on pills. The Behranis manage to stop her both times and they put her in a bedroom to sleep it off. Lester arrives, thinks the family has hurt Kathy, and locks the Behranis in their bathroom at gunpoint until they agree to sell the house back to Kathy. The Behranis finally agree to sell it back and Lester takes them to the county office. Massoud’s son gets a hold of Lester's gun and is shot by the deputies that that arrive on the scene. When Massoud finds out that his son is dead, he is overcome with grief and rage at both Lester and Kathy. He returns to the house, finds Kathy, strangles her and leaves her for dead. He then suffocates his wife, who was asleep in the bedroom. he puts on his old uniform and suffocates himself.

Kathy and Lester are imprisoned and awaiting trial at the end of the book.

How do I feel about this book? Good question. On one level I found it to be a very good read. On another level I was angered by the stupidity of the county and Lester V. Burdon. It was sad.
4

Oprah's Book Club, literature, tragedy

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Visit here for a plot summary.

I enjoyed this story, but was disappointed that Pheobe, though the center of the story, was not featured much as a character.

3

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

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This is the sixth book in the Rachel Morgan series.

This book starts right out with the demon action in the very first chapter. Rachel and her mother are shopping for Halloween costumes and talismans when the demon Al appears, destroys the shop, and nearly kills Rachel. Somebody is summoning him and setting him after Rachel. Suddenly, not only is Rachel in danger, but everyone she loves and cares about are too.

In this story Rachel learns that Ceri is pregnant -- and to keep her baby and the elf race healthy, they need a sample of ancient elf tissue from the ever-after. As a journey to the ever-after might help her defeat Al she agrees to go with Trent. Jenks sneaks a ride with Rachel and is the only one who can get the sample.

This is a story of ongoing revelations: Rachel learns of her true nature, how her father died, who her bio-dad is, the father of Ceri's baby, Keasley's true identity. She did not, however, findout who killed Kisten.

In the end she is forced to make another deal with Al to protect her friends and family.

I enjoyed this book, the humor Harrison slipped in was great. Rachel's character grew and matured. I can't wait for the next installment.

If you like Sci/Fi Fantasy I give it a 4. (464 pages)