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Reviews by Cathy

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The Book of Illumination: A Novel from the Ghost Files
by Mary Ann Winkowski
Light reading, but not much ghostly interaction (10/4/2009)
When I read the back cover of this book i was expecting to read a book that had a lot of interaction with ghosts in addition to a lively mystery with many twists in the plot. Instead, the mystery got bogged down with too many detailed explanations about who was who and who did what. The book would have been better if there was more interaction with the ghosts and the mystery wasn't so slow.

The author seemed to be writing to a younger audience, stating things that would be obvious to an adult but might need explaining to an older child or very young teenager.

The mother tries to explain the afterlife to her very young child by telling him details of a gruesome story of a death in the family ending with the fact that she doesn't know if there's a heaven. The afterlife is a difficult concept for many adults and one that a 5 year old would never be able to grasp. Then she couldn't understand why he is afraid of death...and proceeded to lie to him about the fact that she would never die.

It just made no sense to me. A little like trying to explain where babies come from to a young child who then says the baby just comes out of mommy's tummy.

In my opinion, it would be a good book for an older child or young teenager to read. Some light mystery with a little ghostly interaction. But I definitely would not recommend it to anyone who is interested in a more complex story plot or character development.
A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean
by Tori Murden McClure
Excellent adventure! (4/20/2009)
This was an amazing book from a truly amazing person. Tori Murden McClure has led a fascinating life and does a great job of sharing it with us. The style of writing made the book move quickly and the story was interesting. I can not get over the experiences she had out on the ocean! It took a lot of courage for her to do what she did, not just rowing across the ocean but all the choices she had to make over her life. Kudos to Tori for putting it all down on the page for us. Book clubs get ready for a great discussion after this read. It should motivate all of us to strive for better and to never give up.
Stuffed: An Insider's Look at Who's (Really) Making America Fat
by Hank Cardello & Doug Garr
Very insightful and informative...excellent reading. (11/12/2008)
I couldn't believe some of the stubbornness and money hungry attitudes of food manufacturers about changing the business of food production in order to get a more healthy product. This book will really open your eyes!

When I first started reading it made me angry that America is stuck in such a rut and we as individuals really have no choice in the matter. But I really like that Cardello has some very innovative and positive ideas about how to change this problem. If only we can get the higher-ups to listen to what he has to say.

Fast food isn't the only thing that's not healthy for us. I will definitely be reading more labels from now on and with more insight as to what to look for. I would have liked to know more about what I, an ordinary consumer, can do to help with this problem. But I also think that knowledge is the first step and if enough people read this book maybe things will start to turn around. In my opinion it is a very interesting and thought provoking read.
How Far Is the Ocean from Here: A Novel
by Amy Shearn
This is a MUST READ! (6/19/2008)
Did you ever make a mistake and think "Oh no! What the hell am I going to do now?" A mistake that affects not only your life but all the lives around you? If you have ever said the words "What if..." or "If only I had..." then this book is for you, young or old, male or female, child or adult. Susannah, a very young surrogate mother realizes that she has done something irrevocable and panics. The rest of the book is an extremely insightful and poignant look at relationships and choices made by Susannah and by all those around her and the consequences of those choices. A deep look into the human spirit, feelings, emotions, regrets, promises, and the unknown future.

This is an excellent book for discussion by book clubs and even if you don't belong to a book club you will want to go find someone to discuss this book with. Any one who reads this book will think of their own past, their own mistakes, their own choices, and will certainly relate to one of the interesting characters who are so well developed by the author that they seem alive. An amazing read, I couldn't put it down and I was sorry when it ended. Thank you Amy Shearn for giving us a book that is so intuitive and that touched my heart.
A Case of Exploding Mangoes
by Mohammed Hanif
Something for everyone (4/4/2008)
If you like dark humor or if you just like a good adventure then this is the book for you. An adventure involving a crow, a curse, some mangoes and some very interesting characters on a very interesting escapade. I loved this book, it was a great read. To those of you who have ever had anything to do with the military...you will recognize some very typical characters that you can find in any army. For those of you who just love to read a good adventure....have fun reading!
The Invention of Everything Else
by Samantha Hunt
Not bad, not great (12/13/2007)
It was hard to believe that the inventor in this book was actually a real person. The author could have been more clear and developed her characters better. The ideas she touches on were good ones...loneliness and confusion in all individuals, not just the aged. It's a subject that everyone has to deal with in real life. It would be a good book for a book club, they could touch on the subjects of age (young and old), loneliness, confusion, and how these individuals dealt with those issues. I liked the ending, it seemed to really come together and explained a lot of what I needed to put it all together.
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