Beneath the Shadows grabbed my interest from the start. It is easy to sympathize with the main character, Grace. The mystery and intrigue develops in a small community on the North Yorkshire moors. The plot is not predictable, and it is an enjoyable read. I only wish that some of the supporting characters had been fleshed out in more depth. We get to know the heroine, Grace, quite well, but the others barely make it to the surface.

The Most Dangerous Thing started out with a promising story-line. At first I was drawn in to the tale of a group friends, but kept being annoyed by constant narration switch from third person to 1st, often in the same paragraph. My sympathy/interest in the characters fell away as the book progressed. It seemed like the book ended abruptly, as if the author had reached a page limit, and needed to wrap things up quickly. I found this book disappointing -- it had a good premise, but the delivery did not live up to my expectations.

This novel got off to a slow start, not because of a lack of plot elements, but because it took me a long time to gain sympathy for any of the characters. I found the sections on the history of Siena interesting, but otherwise the story did not draw me in. I also found the publisher's choice of printing the first section of each chapter in italics detracted from my reading enjoyment. Italics is not easy to read, and in many cases the first sections went on for several pages -- all in italics, which I found annoying.

All in all the book was okay. Nothing special in my opinion.

Jamrach's Menagerie is a compelling story of a boy swept away on a seafaring adventure. I got completely caught up in the story of Jaffy and Tim, and watching how adventure and strife shape their lives. Very well written. I highly recommend this book.

Agent X is an entertaining thriller that is hard to put down. Steve Vail, the protagonist from The Bricklayer, is back in action again. The main characters are likable, and the plot twists keep you guessing to the end. This book is an enjoyable read.

This is a fascinating story, that showcases how our lives and culture are completely dependent on a common language. I started this book on an airplane, and became so absorbed in the narrative that I nearly missed the beverage cart. The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai is very well written, and the characters are well developed. I became completely wrapped up in Li Jing's struggle to rejoin his family, having lost the one thing he needs to succeed -- the ability to joke, fight, and express his love. I highly recommend this book. I think it would be a great title for a book club to open up discussions on how language is vital to our lives and the world around us.

Death Echo by Elizabeth Lowell is a fast paced suspense novel that really delivers. The main characters are well developed, and very likable (although maybe a bit over the top -- both very good looking, smart, strong, talented...). The plot was complex and kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed how the developing relationship between the two main characters was mixed in with the action, to lighten the mood. This was a very entertaining read, and I had trouble putting it down.

"Await Your Reply" takes three seemingly disparate characters whose stories become increasing intertwined as the book develops. The author uses alternating chapters to narrate each character's story. The transitions between chapters were often abrupt, especially as one "story" jumps back and forth in time, while the others do not. That said, as I got more involved in the book, the transitions didn't bother me as much.

I enjoyed this book -- the characters have good depth, and their stories were interesting enough to keep me reading to the end -- but it isn't the best thing I've picked up this year.

"The Quiet Girl" by Peter Hoeg was a very interesting read. Hoeg draws you in immediately with his quirky, unusual character Kaspar Krone. Great prose and an intriguing story line kept me hooked to the very last page. Some of the jumps between present and memories of past, were a little confusing at first, but once I got used to the rhythm, everything flowed together. I highly recommend this book.