For a first novel, the book was well researched; however, the plot was slow and I had to push myself to read from beginning to end. The characters were not developed enough to my liking. The author has potential and the way she ended the book, it seems there will be more to come regarding Lucy. Will not be recommending this book to others but will want to read her next book to compare them.

This was a very difficult book to get through for me. It was well-written; however, the tone was dark and I kept waiting for something more to happen but it just got bleaker and bleaker as I read.

Unfortunately I was very disappointed with this book. It was too fluffy, disjointed, and the chapters were too short. It was hard to follow the story because Mary Jane Clark jumped around so much with the characters. Definitely not a book I would recommend to anyone to read and wouldn't be interested in reading any more books by this author.

This novel is on my all time favorites list because it has all of the elements needed to write a "complete" novel. The characters are so real, I felt like I knew each of them personally. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to see what was just around the corner. The characters were so genuine and each one was developed so expertly. There is a clear antagonist. His behavior is so despicable that some portions of the novel were hard to read; however, this is one of the reasons the book was so interesting and real. Life, death, family dynamics, abuse of children and animals, loyalty, betrayal, and spirituality are just some of the elements that made the book special. I highly recommend this book selection for book clubs - there are so many things to discuss. I can hardly wait to see what Jenny Wingfield writes next. Great job for a first novel.

Initially I thought the book was going to be a story about women who were extremely close (having lived in the same neighborhood for a long time) going through the experience of losing one of their best friends. I was very disappointed that Ellyn didn't give the characters more depth because the story line was simplistic and had too many characters. As I read, the book just didn't hold my attention because I knew Paisley's ultimate outcome. I kept hoping the plot would go deeper, but it was disjointed and disorganized. I would not suggest this book to my book club.

Although this book was one I couldn't put down, the realities presented were so unfathomable to me that I kept reading thinking something would happen to make things better. What a roller coaster ride Mrs. Brady was on from the very beginning, from meeting Upton until his death. This was a great character study and I kept hoping the influences from Sally's mother wouldn't keep getting in the way of her taking the blame for everything Upton accused her of. I commend her for her honesty and forthrightness. What a courageous, strong, and very responsible lady to put up with everything for so many years is unbelievable. This amount of unconditional love is hard to imagine. I enjoyed reading the book, but the sadness was overwhelming at times. I felt like I was there with Sally, witnessing the things she went through.

I absolutely loved this book. Nicholas Trout is a fantastic writer and I laughed and cried throughout while reading as he shared his experiences about animals and people. It was quite interesting to see how he grew up with dogs in their home and the experiences he shared with his Dad and Mom. He became a compassionate husband, father, and veterinarian as a result of the lessons he learned and the unconditional love he received. Anyone who has dogs will be able to relate to this most satisfying read. This would be a great book club selection in my opinion.

One of my favorite authors, Lee Child has created a thriller full of deception and secrets that will leave the reader feeling creepy. Not my favorite book by Child; however, it's because I like Reacher to have more contact with people. The last 100 pages were the best part of the book for me. Child is famous for his descriptions and details and because of the desolate corn country of Nebraska, the first part of the book was boring. The suspense builds as the story unfolds and in the end Reacher comes through again as always.

Jack Reacher really got himself in a bind in this men's adventure story. When a tour bus on which he bummed a ride skids off the road and crashes, he finds himself in Bolton, South Dakota. A methamphetamine lab run by a very violent drug cartel has begun operating at an abandoned military facility in Bolton. Reacher helps the local cops figure out what is happening and his military intelligence background is a great asset. The ending is a huge cliff-hanger.

Excellent book. Slaughter is genius at putting together very complex and multi-layered thrillers. Two people are murdered and one other person commits suicide. Are they all connected? Why are the police force and investigation unit acting so secretively? These questions take an entire book to be answered and the twists and turns to get there are inviting, you can't put the book down until the very last page.

Shadow Divers is a wonderful book about two Americans who have a passion for diving; specifically wreck diving. They found a U-boat off the coast of New Jersey and helped solve a mystery that had lingered since World War II. A fantastic read; a great writer and if you aren't a diver, you will learn so much interesting information about it. I highly recommend this book to anyone--even if you aren't into diving.

Wrecker is a book I didn't want to end. Our social system for children is so unpredictable with so many children being moved many times that reading Wrecker shows what can happen to a child who is left in one place. The story of Wrecker begins when he is 3 years old and ends when he's 20 and the years between are portrayed by the author with much flavor, dimension and tenderness. Many people are involved in his child-rearing who are fraught with problems, seeking their own solutions. Wrecker impacts each person's life in a different and profound way. Book clubs would have many avenues to explore after reading the book. This book could very easily continue in a sequel showing what Wrecker does with his life - the decisions he makes and how he raises his own children. Great read.

Ken Follett is my all-time favorite author because of the detailed research and style in which he writes. Fall of Giants was a great book, although not one of my favorites. The characters were interesting and I will definitely be waiting to see how their life experiences unfold in the next novel. However, I got bogged down in the details of World War I and it may be that I'm just not interested in the historical portion concerning the war. The fact that there are 5 families from 5 different countries and backgrounds brings a special flavor and adds dimension to the novel. The way the author compares and contrasts brothers, employer and employee, and diplomats from different countries was most enjoyable. I usually cannot put Follet's books down, but this one was harder for me to get through than others, such as The Pillars of the Earth and Jackdaws (2 of my favorites). He has never written a book that I haven't enjoyed though and I'm looking forward to the next novel in the trilogy.

Unfortunately, I had never heard of Peter Robinson before choosing this book to read, but I will be purchasing all of his previous ones. I am so glad that there are 19 more books in this series to read.

The story held my attention from page 1 to the end. Alan Banks is my kind of protagonist and I'm glad I was introduced to him this way. Since his daughter was involved in the plot, I was able to experience the personal side of the man.

The characters were totally believable and I learned a great deal about the way the British police departments are run. There was a lot of explosive emotion, love, resentment and fear -- all of the elements that make up a great crime novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime novels.

Stash is like going on a trip from the past. The different perspectives written by the author makes the book quite interesting. We flower children from the 70's can definitely relate to the material in this book. I would recommend it to anyone, but we would especially enjoy it.