Breaking the Da Vinci Code

Breaking the Da Vinci Code
By Darrell Bock, Ph.D.
0785260463 170p

Okay, not as good as other books I've read looking into the validity of Dan Brown's claims. Rather than go point by point with The Da Vinci Code, he took the overall themes and broke them apart. Wasn't as compelling to me. Still, good idea.
7/10

Irresistible Forces

Irresistible Forces
By Brenda Streater Jackson
0373860641 249p

Okay. A lot of backstory for a romance novel, got a bit too much with all the family. Kind of a silly premise also.
7/10

Madame de Treymes

Madame de Treymes
By Edith Wharton

So many questions! How does it end? What did the husband do? What is Madame de Tremes doing? Very good!
8/10

The Triumph Of Night

The Triumph Of Night
By Edith Wharton

Didn't understand it totally, which is strange since I normally love Edith Wharton stories.
7/10

Pictures from Italy

Pictures from Italy
By Charles Dickens
0140424313 187p

Interesting and kind of cool in that this book is composed of letters he wrote to friends while he was on vacation in Italy, just polished up. But I wasn't overly interested, even though I'm interested in Italy. Just seemed too disjointed. As a letter to a friend, I'm sure it's fine. As a book, not so much.
7/10

Crime Scene at Caldwell Ranch

Crime Scene at Caldwell Ranch
By Barbara Heinlein
037322897X

Hurried, seemed like. And the ending was left so open, which is a little annoying.
7/10

The Beckham Experiment

The Beckham Experiment
By Grant Wahl
978030747870 290p

Interesting and insightgul. Fitting to read this after seeing his return in NY 4 days ago and hearing about him baiting a fan at he home game over the weekend! Great access and sources, well-written, very nice.
8/10

Jesus as CEO

Jesus as CEO
By Laurie Beth Jones
0786881267 318p

I liked the personal stories the best. Well done.
8/10

Lady Susan

Lady Susan
By Jane Austen

Somewhere in the middle in terms of quality of her stories. Letters to write a story is a great idea if done correctly, this was close to it.
7/10

His Lady Mistress

His Lady Mistress
By Elizabeth Rolls
0373293720 299p

Kept my interest, fun characters and situations and some good lines. The events seemed to take over a few months instead of weeks, so that was a little disconcerting. Ending was quite ridiculous.
8/10

1601

1601: Conversation as it was by the Social Fireside in the Time of the Tudors
By Mark Twain

Interesting. Very short, even with all the add-ons (footnotes, bibliography, etc). And not as interesting as I thought it would be.
7/10

Baby Bonanza

Baby Bonanza
By Maureen Child
0373768931 175p

I like cruises and I like couples who have a history! Good characters, actually wish it had been longer, good book.
8/10

Slow Hands

Slow Hands
By Leslie Kelly
0373794061 210p

Better than I thought it would be! Amusing premise, someone isn't who you think they are, been used tons of times and yet she made it new and fun.
8/10

Once a Cowboy

Once a Cowboy
By Linda Warren
0373751559 246p

Parts were good, parts were silly. But hey, it was free.
7/10

Autobiography of a Geisha

Autobiography of a Geisha
By Sayo Masuda
0231129505 182p

Moving, shockingly straightforwards. Definitely felt for her and kept hoping for a happier ending than the one she got. Hopefully, after the book was published, she gained some happiness.
8/10

Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters: A Family Record

Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters: A Family Record
By William Austen-Leigh and Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh
gutenberg.org 400p

Interesting, but yeah not much odd or strange to tell about her life, it was pretty straightforward. Book didn't speculate at all, like about who her love was or how she died, which is keeping with that it was written by her family. Obviously, she was loved by those who knew her best, which is perhaps the most important thing we can know about her.

My favorite lines:
"Mrs. Hall, of Sherborne, was brought to bed yesterday of a dead child, some weeks before she expected, owing to a fright. I suppose she happened unawares to look at her husband."
"You express so little anxiety about my being murdered under Ashe Park Copse by Mrs. Hulbert's servant, that I have a great mind not to tell you whether I was or not."
8/10

The Cradle Will Fall

The Cradle Will Fall
By Mary Higgins Clark
0671741195 314p

Good. Fast paced, intricate, definitely well-plotted, as always. Lots of characters but not too much trouble keeping them straight. Got squeamish at some of the blood parts- the medical, of course, not the murders! Ha!
8/10

The Royal Diaries: Anastasia, The Last Grand Duchess

The Royal Diaries: Anastasia, The Last Grand Duchess
By Carolyn Meyer
0439129087 216p

I liked it, interesting glimpse at what her life might have been like and how quickly it changed so completely.
8/10

The Royal Diaries: Cleopatra VII

The Royal Diaries: Cleopatra VII
By Kristiana Gregory
0590819755 218p

Cute. Young adults book, read it to be sure it's appropriate for my 9 year old cousin.
8/10

The Idiot

The Idiot
By Fyodor Dostoevsky
1593083475 564p

Okay, although I thought the ending was rushed. I don't like that every character has 3 names, eventually I got used to it but still it's annoying. Story was good, until the last few pages.
7/10

Born in Shame

Born in Shame
By Nora Roberts
051511779X 356p

Okay, a bit hurried, it seemed, with the main characters falling in love (and into bed). They had barely met. I'm glad it was Murphy, though, since I'd liked him in the other 2 books. Bet he's glad now that he'd never slept with Maggie of Brie, ha! Liam was cute. I like Shannon finding not only sisters but also brothers. That was cute when she realized that.
7/10