I was attracted to the book Whispering Shadows as I loved The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by the same author. What I enjoyed about this book is the insights Sendker had into politics and culture of Hong Kong. The characters are very well developed and one can't help but feel a kinship with the protagonist. Part love story, part suspense, Whispering Shadows is rich with descriptions and a good story line.

I heartily recommend this book to all dog lovers. This is a heartwarming story of a dog with two masters and some very powerful human forces with which to contend. Pax left his home to fight in the war, only to return to his family with his soldier, who hopes to keep him. I enjoyed hearing the story unfold in the different voices (I bet it's a great book on CD!). Even Pax shares his perspective. Read it with a box of tissues and a canine friend at your side.

I enjoyed reading "Golden Boy", the story of 16 year old Max and how he enters a turbulent time of his life under extraordinary circumstances. As the mother of teenagers, I was impressed with the authenticity of the voices in this story, and wished there could have been more character development of several of the characters to add some heft to the issues between Max and his long-time family friend Hunter, and I would have appreciated more on the dialogue between the parents for historical perspective since they were not united in their approach to their son's gender issues. I felt that having the story told in individual voices added to my understanding of the characters.

The issue of intersexuality did not bother me in "Golden Boy" the way it did in "Middlesex", but I think that was because Max was so likeable. I did not realize just how common this condition actually is, and I know I will be reading more about it. I liked the book overall and I feel the young writer shows promise.

Creative, richly imagined characters will keep you turning the pages of this book. Set in the small secret-rich southern town of Niceville, some residents may not have truly died after all, and old family feuds still rage. I prefer my plots without the fantasy, but I thought the characters were the saving grace. Stroud reminded me of Carl Hiaasen, only darker and grittier. The bad guys were perfectly despicable! I'd like to see them again.

Perhaps some people look like their pets, but Gal Garner becomes like her rose-breeding hobby: prickly, temperamental and very high maintenance. This story is sweetly predictable; Gal has health issues that keep her tied to a routine of regular dialysis and a regimented and restricted life with a tendency for self-pity. Along comes a teenage niece who makes Gal consider (just a little) someone else's misfortunes. I had higher hopes for Gal's metamorphosis.
The information on roses and the insider look at the breeding and contests carry this book--I will share this book with my horticulturally-inclined friends.

Oxford Messed Up is the story of two highly original characters destined to be together. I enjoyed the unique personality of Gloria, who attempts to rise above OCD; and Henry, trying to overcome the chains of remorse from a demonized past. They share a bathroom (loomates) and a devotion to Van Morrison. They believe in each other when paralyzed by their own self-doubt. Add in a supporting cast of wonderful family members with issues and quirks to spare, all set in Oxford's beautiful campuses.

I enjoyed having a glimpse into the challenges faced by someone with OCD. Anyone looking for a sensitive love story with unique characters would enjoy this debut novel—I know I will look for Andrea Kayne Kaufman again!

Hooked by the promise of a story beginning with a child born at Woodstock, I eagerly jumped in to the pages of this book. But had I not acquired The Sometimes Daughter as an early reviewer, I would have abandoned it before finishing. It reads like it was written by an novice, or a student, perhaps--so much so that I had to double check to see if it was written for Young Adults. I can't remember the last time I read such weak dialogue. Entirely forgettable. I honestly can't imagine what the other reviewers found so “deeply poignant” or “intriguing”. I was extremely disappointed. I read a great deal of fiction, both for myself and for my teenage daughters. I thought this story lacked character development and cohesion. I was glad to close the book and move on to something that held my interest.

I was fortunate enough to receive an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

Three Weeks in December is a tale of two very different people set in troubled East Africa one hundred years apart. Whether the threats were from illness and man-eating lions or warring tribes, this is not a safe place to visit. The story seamlessly flows from one mission to the other, building to a very satisfying conclusion.

I think the hallmark of a well-loved story is when the reader hopes to meet the characters again. That is very much the case for me with Max, a scientist afflicted with Asperger's Syndrome, sent to the mountains to find a vine that might have remarkable medicinal properties. Challenges exacerbated by autism were revealed with insight and compassion, making Max an intriguing, sympathetic character, without ever making you feel sorry for her.

Jeremy, her counterpart from the turn of the century, is an engineer building a railroad through this unsettled area, whose private shame sent him so far from home. Likeable, flawed, heartbreaking, each in their own way, I was sorry to see them go at book's end. I found myself wishing I could talk to someone about the different ways progress can impact an area, even over the course of a century's time. I agree with the other reviewers that it would make a splendid book club choice

I receiver an Early Reviewer copy of this book.
I found The Dressmaker offered a fresh perspective from hundred year old history. The Dressmaker took me to a time and place I had not considered. I was surprised to think that among the Titanic's survivors might have been both heroes and goats. The characters and story were interesting, especially those based on actual court transcripts and newspapers. I liked seeing the timeline that included people from the world of fashion and the beginnings of the suffrage movement.
I may be the only person in America who never saw the movie, Titanic, but reading this novel has me wishing I knew more about the disaster and the people involved. While I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this book on its merits alone, I can say that I will be looking for more reading about the aftermath of the historic event.

I received an Early Review copy of this book.

Disclaimer: I did not read the entire book

While not a society/gossip/People Magazine reader, I do love a memoir that tells the childhood of the famous or the infamous.
I was brought up with show tunes on the record player and on the radio, so I was attracted to Katherine Swift's memoir because she is almost exactly my age, mid fifties, and expected to have lived a somewhat parallel life.

I was disappointed enough with The Memory of All That that I was not inspired to read the entire book. After several chapters, I still felt I was picking the book up at its midpoint, that I had neglected to read the Preface. I did Google her father for some historical context...I never got a clear picture of the author or her surroundings, although I will accept the blame for not knowing enough about the few celebrities she mentions, I am not well versed in that time period or that culture to be familiar. I think there might have been a little more back-story to let the reader know about the author's family, and a little more context.
Sure, her family dynamics were atypical, but that's show biz. Maybe it was because I did not read it cover-to-cover, or maybe it's just me, but the story was just not compelling enough to pique or carry my interest.

I hoped to like this book and gave it several chapters before closing it for good. I'm very surprised to see it get the rave reviews. I found it confusing, bouncing around with characters I could not recognize in their many incarnations, past, present and contrived future; and never enough to care about.

Also, for all its forward-thinking, there are parts of this book that cannot be read on a Kindle.

I acquired this book as an Early Reviewer. I had seen books from this series and was intrigued. To arrive at #8 in a series, you have to have created a worthy and interesting character.
Part historical fiction and part mystery, I never felt I learned much about the years leading up to WW2 nor did I feel that page turning pull, but I thought Maisie was an interesting character.
Because I came to the series late, I worried I would not know enough about the characters to enjoy the story, but the author brought the novice up to speed where it mattered. I had an pre-conceived image of Maisie as a Jessica Fletcher type, maybe because she was so proper and devoutly good. I was glad to find out she broke from that mold a bit (she spends the night with her boyfriend) but Maisie is exceeding generous and thoughtful, a la Alexander McCall Smith's female detective.
In that vein, I found the story slow and steady. In the end, I felt I could go back to earlier books in the series.
Reading other reviews, I see that Winspear has some true devotees, so that makes me want to put her in my "Want To Read" column. The pace of the writing would have me choose this series when I was looking for a comfortable and familiar distraction.