Even though I have 10 years of age on Quinlan, I found the book timely and most personally reflective. As I read chapter after chapter, I underlined many passages and whispered to myself, "how true" and "perfectly said". Quinlan's analysis of the "Resting Age Rate" is so right on. It is not our real age, but the age we perceive ourselves to be that is important.
Many of us have the personal introspection so evident in this book, but only someone like Anna Quinlan can so creatively put it into such lovely prose. Its a thoughtful read for most women, particularly those who are "Older" and so much more comfortable in their own skin.

As a history buff and recent visitor to the Odessa catacombs, I found The Darkening Field a unique thriller with the backdrop, ever present, of life in Soviet Russia in 1937. It was the time of the Great Terror, a time of a series of campaigns by Joseph Stalin to purge the unloyal and repress and execute many. No one was safe and no one could be trusted.

Such is the atmosphere in which Alexei Korolev, a moral man, must operate as a detective with the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department. This time, he must find the murderer of Maria Lenskaya, a production assistant on a new propaganda film being made in Ukraine. As the story twists and turns, I enjoyed the portrayal of Korolev as he must evaluate each suspect not only on their personal relationship to the victim, but also on their, often hidden, political persuasion as well. An invaluable aid was a listing of the book's characters which helped me sort out the many Russian names.

I highly recommend this second tale of Detective Alexei Korolev. Hopefully, a third is in the making.

I found "Box of Darkness" an enthralling and compelling portrait of a marriage. Surely, and hopefully, it's writing has been a catharsis for the author and wife in the marriage, Sally Ryder Brady. I found the characters most fascinating and the book well written..read it in just a few sittings. The major looming element in this story is the fact that Upton Brady was an alcoholic. How much would have been different if he had not been. Would he have had the same homosexual tendencies? I also ached for Sally(perhaps personal association as a member of her generation)in her quest to know if Upton truly loved her. Although she certain enabled Upton in his selfish behavior, she found him far too enticing to leave. I would certainly recommend this book to my friends.

"Snowdrops" is a wildly interesting, riveting read. I highly recommend it to all. Written as an explanation and, I believe, a possible apology to his present day fiancee, Nick Platt, an English attorney, sets forth his old life in Moscow, his "old life without a seat belt".

If you have been to Moscow, you may remember it as an impression of kaleidoscopes of color, spiraling, exotic architecture, and fast moving people. Such is Nick Platt's narrative as he took me on a wild ride through those heady times in the early 2000's as Moscow and Russia plunge head long into capitalism. I was swept up in the portrays of amoral behavior, decadence, and lust. A place where much that appeared true, usually was not.

After he has meet the charms of Masha and Katya and soon after their aunt, Tatiana, I saw Nick Platt become a victim of that culture, willing to ignore much that was obvious and deceptive in trade for the comfortable pleasures of the "here and now". He does, however, finally begin to realize his complicity in some very dark deeds. But alas, as the book spirals to an end, it was all to evident to me that the cultural seduction of Nick Platt was complete.

A recent trip to Russia prompted an intense study of "all things Russian", particularly those final tragic years of the Romanov dynasty. What a clever and entertaining way to live those years through the eye of the impetuous "Little K", prima ballerina and mistress of Nicholas II.

I felt like I had been seated on a rollercoaster beside Miss K as she lived those absorbing years of St. Petersburg glitter, yet I also felt the darker brooding of the "rest of Russia", so ignored by the doomed court which would lead to the Revolution and its aftermath.

Many readers, particularly the history buffs, will find this a delightful way to absorb the pageantry of this remarkable era in Russian history. I highly recommend to all.

The title of this book gives no hint of its literary pleasures. Reminiscence of authors such as Anne Tyler and Connie May Fowler, the first time author, Michele Young-Stone, sweeps us away in an engrossing tale of 2 ordinary young people, bound by the randomness of lightning strikes. I was immediately drawn into the book and found its plot and ending most engrossing. It's wonderful plot twists were well thought out and satisfying. The characters, especially Becca and Buckley, were very well developed and personally engaging. I will be letting my book club know about this fine new book.

This is a good, light read as it fails to develop its characters enough to be a really great book. The family of traveling women just did not connect and I was unable to identify with any of them. Sadly, even the travel log portion failed to make me enthusiastic for any travel to modern day China.

Amazing captivating, I found myself immediately drawn into this compelling story of love and war. Page after page was quickly read and absorbed. The feeling of really being there in those bitter years of the Vietnam War was intense. The main characters, Helen Adams, Sam Darrow and Linh, were all well developed and very human. The plot holds you like a taut sting throughout the book and only releases you at the very end. An incredible read and one that I highly recommend.

An excellent book and another wonderful read by Ron Rash. I was hooked from the first page with the colorful description of life in an early 20th Century North Carolina lumber camp, with characters larger than life. All of the elements are there of greed, corruption, murder and mayhem all in the name of power for the Pembertons, owners of the camp. Watch out if you cross them!

Serena Pemberton is a true Lady Macbeth, complete with a rattlesnake killing eagle. Although the Pembertons, Serena and George, control the novel's pace and story, I was impressed by the strength of Rachel, young mother of George's illegitimate son, in her struggle for survival. I highly recommend this fast paced, "can't put it down", book by Ron Rash.