Review

Review written for ClubReading.com by Barbara Something new appears in the solar system of the year 2130-a cylindar 31 miles long and 12½ miles wide, and it’s moving ever closer to the sun. Upon investigation, it appears to be a fabricated, completely self-contained world. It also seems to be dead. The reader is treated to a fascinating exploration and to an engrossing mystery. By the way, this book won the Hugo, Nebula and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Linda If you have read Anne Perry, you know about William Monk. A former police inspector in Victorian London, Mr. Monk suffered a head injury which resulted in amensia. He has rebuilt his life since then, and has become a private detective, taking cases for which his skill in investigation are much needed. In this book, Mr. Monk takes a case looking for a woman who was engaged to be married, but who ran away for some unexplained reason. Unfortunately, the coachman who drove her was found dead, and she was accused of his murder. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Sally And Then There Were Two is a sequel to One by One in the Dani Ross mystery series. The recent explosion in Christian fiction is great. Greed seems to have taken hold, though. Publishers and authors can make more money if they drag the story out through four or five short books. This series is no exception. I find it interesting that the major focus of this particular book is just that–greed. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Sally Dani Ross is a beautiful, intelligent seminary student intending to go to Africa as a missionary. The story quickly gets into two problems she faces. The first is a life-long battle she faces–constantly fighting off men. I really have no sympathy for her . . . just can’t relate to such a terrible problem! Secondly, Dani has to leave seminary unexpectly. Her father has asked her to come home . . . for just a few weeks . . . to take over the family private investigation agency while he recovers from triple bypass surgery. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Linda Guy is a respected English Judge. And he is leaving his wife of 40 years for a woman 30 years his junior. And the mistress happens to be a lawyer. What sounds like a soap opera really is an examination of how people react to a crisis. Guy’s wife of 40 years, Laura, reacts badly to the news that Guy is leaving her. But she determines to go on by making one of her sons (and Guy’s son, too) do all the work for her. Simon, the chosen son, is a lawyer, and Laura leaves all the dirty work to him. When he advises her to accept an offer for the house, in typical lawyer language, she flies into a rage. How dare he use that formal tone with her, even in a letter. And she decides she simply isn’t going to leave the house, and Simon can just figure out how she can stay. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Bill Robert Fulghum is one of my favorite writers/storytellers. And of all his books, All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten is my favorite. It’s hard to say what makes his stories so entertaining, but he is a master storyteller. Gripping, lighthearted yet serious when needed, inspirational without being preachy…just good stuff. Here’s a bit from the title chapter: Each spring, for many years, I have set myself the task of writing a personal statement of belief: a Credo. When I was younger, the statement ran for many pages, trying to cover every base, with no loose ends. It sounded like a Supreme Court brief, as if words could resolve all conflicts about the meaning of existence. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Linda The best short story writers pull you in quickly, setting that “hook” that writers talk about early. Then they involve the reader, and wrap up the story with a wonderful ending. The writers who never get the knack of writing short stories make it almost painful to read the story. None of the writers in this collection are that bad, but several don’t seem to understand the requirements for a good story. At least one, and perhaps more, has the narrator die at the end of the story. This throws my world into a frenzy, as dead men (or women!) tell no tales. And while the book is suppose to be mysteries, several of the tales are more super-natural than mystery, which also bothers me. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Sally The writing style of the 1800’s is rather tediousto read, but the lessons shared in Katherine’s journal are worth the effort. We follow Katherine’s struggle for faith through excerpts from her journal of everyday experiences-courtship and marriage, bearing and raising children, relationships with family and friends. We meet Katherine on her 16th birthday. She is, by her own admission, selfish, quick tempered, and conceited. She is also beautiful and vivacious. Her mother told her she had the elements of a fine character if she would only conquer some of her faults. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Sally Remember those cartoons where a little red demon is whispering in someone’s left ear to “go ahead” and an angel with a halo is whispering in his right ear to “think of the consequences”? The author would have us believe this senario is playing out just like for everyone every day. It just may be that we are in the midst of a spiritual battle. The ancient writings of Paul warn us to “stand against the devil’s schemes.” Evidently, he does scheme. We are also told that there are specific angels assigned to wage war in our behalf. ...

Review written for ClubReading.com by Linda n this book, Card takes the reader back to the days of the first settlements of the United States. The pioneer days aren’t exactly like those you may have read about in school; in these pioneer days, magic is real. Most people in the colonies have “gifts,” whether those are gifts of making people feel at ease, or finding water, or something more exotic. Great Britain has banished all people who believe in magic (and not surprisingly, they are the ones who can do magic) to the new world, and they have thrived here. ...