Wow -- what I book! I literally could not put it down. Reading A Paris Apartment, I became immersed in the lives of two women in France - April Vogt in the present, and Marthe de Florian living in the Belle Epoque. April's job is to inventory the furnishings and assorted memorabilia found in Marthe's apartment, which had not been seen in 70 years. April finds Marthe's journals, and becomes rather obsessed with Marthe's life.
The setting is great for anyone who enjoys Paris, and the apartment at the center of the story was apparently real. The heart of the story revolves around the two women, both of whom are trying to find their way in the lives and their loves.
Highly recommended!

The Cairo Affair was an entertaining spy thriller in the vein of John Le Carre. It was full of so many twists and turns that a few times I got confused and had to look at sections previously read (although that may have been because it took me longer to read than usual, due to holiday craziness). Overall though it was very entertaining, and I was surprised by a few of the plot twists. I enjoyed the international locations, although would have liked to have those settings played up even more.

Author Louise Penny just keeps getting better and better. In this, the 9th book in the Inspector Gamache series, she weaves a tale of suspense that left me on the edge of my seat. The characters are richly drawn and the story drew me right in. I was unable to put the book down.

Although it would be fine to read How the Light Gets In without having read the previous books in the series, I would strongly recommend starting with book 1, Still Life. There are many sub-plots woven into the books that will deepen your appreciation of the characters and the choices they face if read from in order.

The Forgetting Tree was about one woman's life, highlighting most closely two major events in her life. For me, it was not a book that I could connect to. I did not ever feel like I really cared about the major characters. The one character about whom I would have liked to learn more, Octavio, was relegated to a minor role. The second half of the book especially stretched credibility, in my opinion. I would have a very hard time recommending this book, although I can see how book groups might read it, as there is certainly much that could be discussed.

As I'm sure many people will say, this is an inspiring book. But to me what is inspiring is not how Ms. Hampton handles life as a "special needs" mother, but rather how she handles life period. This may sound hokey, but the way Ms. Hampton embraces life, chooses to create celebrations, and appears to open her heart to one and all, is -- to someone with an innately different personality -- very much like reading about a different culture. And as often happens when I read about other cultures, it leads me to reflect on my own life and choices and, in this case, to make an effort to embrace the outside world more.
Bloom is an easy and quick read. It often reads like an extended blog post, but is nonetheless enjoyable.

The Summer Without Men, by Siri Hustvedt, was not what I expected. The title made me think it would be "chick-lit" or beach reading. It was decidedly not that (not that I complaining). Nor, however, was it a story that was a compelling read. About Mia, whose husband has left her (perhaps temporarily), I never felt fully engaged in Mia's life. Her musings and writings, while interesting, did not necessarily make me feel close to her. Additionally, a number of other characters and stories are introduced in the book that often felt distracting to me. Some, like the next door neighbor, I wanted to learn more about. Others, like an elderly women who made subversive art, seemed rather random and unnecessary additions to the story. Overall, it was not a book that made me want to stay up late reading.

A Lonely Death was an entertaining mystery. The writing was excellent and kept me reading even after I'd figured out the "whodunit" before the end. And there was a secondary plot with a surprise twist at the end that was unexpected, if a bit far-fetched. This was the first Inspector Rutledge mystery I've read, and I found it enjoyable. I did not feel that I was missing any key information from not having read other books in the series. I was intrigued enough by Inspector Rutledge and some of the other characters that I plan to seek out the other books in the series.

This is a story about a love triangle, set in the early 1900s in Boston, Trinidad, and Italy.

Overall, I found The Doctor & the Diva to be a disappointing read. While the book started on a strong note and kept me engaged at first, less than a quarter of the way into the story the plot petered out. As the book went on (and on), I never developed a connection to any of the main characters -- Erika, her husband Peter, or her lover Dr. Ravell. Additionally, I found a lot of the story and the situations of the characters to be unbelievable. And the ending was a bit too much like a fairy tale to be at all believed.

Crossing Places is an engaging mystery set in England. The main character, Ruth, is an archaeologist and professor. I found myself really liking Ruth as well as the setting, which was a desolate area of Norfolk. The story kept me in suspense and wondering at the outcome until the very end.

I look forward to what I hope will be many more books in this series by Elly Griffiths.

I loved this book. I thought it was the best mystery I'd read in a long time. I wasn't able to figure out who the perpetrator was before the end of the story. And I really enjoyed the setting, and the background of the civil war.

I haven't read any other books in the series, but plan on doing so right away.

I really enjoyed Skeletons at the Feast. I thought it was well written, and the characters compelling, although I would have liked to have one of them (Cecile) fleshed out a bit more.

The book provides an interesting look at World War II, from an angle not often seen. It seemed historically accurate, as far as I could tell.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story and a fairly quick, light read (despite the World War II background, I didn't feel it was a "weighty" book).

I was quickly drawn in to this well-written story about an American family living in Turkey. The relationships between the daughter and her mother, the mother and the father, and the new inhabitants of Turkey with its citizens all interested me. I admit however, to some squeamishness with a few of the scenes involving the children. They was a level of cruelty displayed that turned my stomach.

However, having said that I would still recommend this book.