Nancy C.
Finally... I've been reading Koontz for about 15 years and I've always had a suspicion that The Book of Counted Sorrows was a book he wrote. I was so excited to see this book published that i went to the store early in the morning to get it ... only to find out it was an electronic book! No problem. Downloaded it and started reading right away. It's actually kind of cool. The story before the poems is really funny. Actually, I was kind of surprised by it. teh poems are really good to and he's added a lot more than have been in the books he's done. (First published at BN.com, reproduced with the permission of BN)

Hailed by some as a James Crumley classic and by others as Crumley - a little past his sellby date; this is definitely not for you if your idea of a good mystery/crime novel is a plot-line that politely unravels in the vein of Elizabeth George or P.D. James. However if your tendancy is to the grittier writers, click above to read the excerpt.
--- Davina, BookBrowse.com.

The prolific Patterson is back with another Alex Cross novel, in which he finally confronts 'The Mastermind' and enters the netherworld of vampires. Although most media reviewers feel that this isn't Patterson's best, the short snappy chapters will undoubtedly keep you on your toes. Read the first 15 chapters and decide by yourself - just click on the 'excerpt' link above.
--- Davina, BookBrowse.com

Even if you don't have the time or inclination to buy and read all 500+ pages of The Noonday Demon : An Atlas of Depression - I strongly recommend you take the time to read the first chapter at BookBrowse.com (click on the 'Excerpt' link just above). I think you'll find it to be interesting, educational and even inspiring. Highly recommended for anybody who has ever suffered from depression and anybody who knows somebody who has - and that pretty much emcompasses the whole population!
---- Davina, BookBrowse.com

I expected this to be a war story -- blood and guts and excesses of testosterone - but what I found was a thought provoking novel that brought to life a country and people that I wish I knew more about. The quality of the story telling and the descriptions of Vietnam and its people will have you hooked from the first pages. It then slowly builds to a thrilling
end with an outcome that is as inscrutable as the people depicted.
----- Davina, BookBrowse.com.

Joseph Tone
I found 'Tis to be a great book. It had humor, sadness, and the effect that Angela's Ashes had. The book is a little hard to start, but I found that I could not put it down once I started. I think if you are a Irish-American that has had a hard life, this is the book you can read and relate to. I recommend this book to everyone.

Ryan
I'm a 21 year old student and thoroughly enjoyed Angela's ashes, but, even more so, I relished Tis. I felt a sudden bond with Frank, maybe due to Franks age in the heart of the novel, or perhaps because of the envy I felt in the awareness, and genuine concern for people which Frank showed throughout Tis, I don't know. I do know though as I read more and more that I kind of shared his outlooks, dreams, and struggles. To see how Mr. Mccourt overcame all the barriers in life with undying hope and at the same time with so much humour was a true inspiration for me. I really did savour this book right to the last page and, I found myself missing all the life that this book possessed, long after I flipped the last page. I wonder is there anybody out there with such a gift for story telling and what seems an innate scenes of captivating the reader right until the very end, like Mr.Mccourt. I think anyone with an appreciation and love for life and humanity should give this jewel a much deserved read.

Mary Frances
I think this book was a very good decryption of what life was like for immigrants at that time. It was not as interesting to me only because I lived the American hard times that he talks about. But I never lost interest in his ties with his home land. If a reader can look past the written words and feel what is in his heart, it gives one a sense of who they are and where they come from. It is a good example of people do not change but their environment does.

Belinda
Contrary to some reviews at this site, I find 'Tis as compelling, if not more so, than Angela's Ashes. McCourt writes with such authenticity that you can easily see him sitting on a barstool amidst talk of Irish nationalism, dreaming to be with a blond, blue eyed, white-toothed petite girl. He really conveys his sense of detachment from his native land, and the guilt related to that. Some people have said that it is easier to hear about hardships from a young, poor boy, without sexual imagery and profanities. Frank McCourt did not remain a young, poor boy, and his writing aptly reflects the changes he went through in adulthood. Bravo, Mr. McCourt. A job well done.

Janob
One of the best I have ever read! I could not get enough, and the words "Poor Michael what's left of him" keeps ringing in my ears! BRAVO Frank!

Debra Baker
'Tis to me was right up there with Angela's Ashes. Maybe I just feel in love with the author, or the extreme innocence that came with his life. Plus who could not help but cheer him on through his life journey when the odds where so against him....Mr. McCourt you are my hero!

Hussein Mashni
Angela's Ashes was, like the name of the city it was about, a Limerick. It was musical, entertaining, funny and sad. But most of all it was inspired and original. Tis, on the other hand, falls short in almost all these areas. It's boring, redundant and forced. The rhythm is gone and poetry that flowed so flawlessly in Angela's Ashes is missing. Whenever the writer attempts to inject this genius, which we saw in Angela's Ashes, it looks like imitation. The only time the book Tis felt right was when McCourt was back in Ireland. He's better at telling us what we don't know about Ireland than telling us what we already know about America. Tis, to me felt like a bad Hollywood sequel, a dreary disappointment. Maybe its easier to believe or to empathize with a young boy than a grown man, I'm not sure.

The picture on the cover of Angela's Ashes drew me into the book whereas the picture on the cover of Tis repels me. It was McCourt himself who said that a happy childhood is hardly worth your while, that's kind of what made Angela's Ashes the magical memoir. OK, we're all happy that things started turning out good for the McCourt family and we want it that way. But I'm just not sure it's worth writing a whole book about. Add to this the foul language, excessive sexual imagery and for me, though I loved Angela's Ashes enough to buy this sequel, the book Tis failed on many counts and I regret the money I spent on it. Thank you.

Bri
harry potter and the chamber of secerts is so far my favorite book. it is
so amazing how she always leaves you wondering. that what i like in
books. harry potter is my favorite series. al my friends are into it. one
of my friends was a harry hater.but her sister was always into it so she
decided to read it and found she liked it.

Lawrence of Manila Science
I really love this book. But I have a suggestion to Grisham: He should
make The Testament Part 2 where Rachel Lane will make a holographic will
and then no one knew who is the receiver of her fortune and Nate will
travel again around the world to find the right person who will became
the next multibiliionaire then that person will die again because of
Dengue and will made another will for the Testament Part 3...... I will
just write the story next time. I'm still thinking of it.

Rebekah
I just last night finished the book. The date today is 9/18/01. I was
very taken by this book and its story. I can very much relate to the fear
of loosing my children as I face the fact every day that their father
could take them. Thank you Catherine for sharing your story. I do hope to
hear some updates on this story. I was honored to share in the life of an
amazing women, Lady Meyer.

Crayola
I have an eight year old boy who is autistic. He was diagnosed four
years ago. I went thru lots of pain and of course joy teaching him the
basic things like understanding language that other children of his age
don't seems to have any problem with. I like this particularly scene
where Denise was watching Kyle sleep and she wished that in Kyle's dream
he was happy playing with other kids who understood him. That scene
brought tears to my eyes. I think at that moment Sparks really touched
my heart. I didn't know what drew me to read his book but now I know.
I really really enjoyed this book (being my first book). My next book
will be A Walk To Remember.

Erin
I first heard about this book from a high school English teacher. She
had recommened it to her classes and so I decided to read it. I fell in
love with the book. I have read it at least 10 times since the first
time and just can not get enough of it. Being from a small Oklahoma town
myself, I know these characters in my life. They are every day people
who would put their lives on hold to help someone else. This book show
what true Oklahomans are all about. It captures the Oklahoma spirit in
every way and every form. You get to know these characters as if they
were real people. You feel what they feel. You cry, laugh, get mad,
your heart breaks and your heart heals right along with them. My only
questions is How could you not love this book?

Karen Lachenmeyer Keeley
This was the first and only book I had read on the Greeley Expedition and
was thoroughly captivated until the very end. One of my ancestors, Henry
Biederbick was a survivor of the expedition. As a child I was told that
one of my ancestors went to the North Pole, but I never imagined the
torture he went through until I read the book. Thank you Mr. Guttridge
for sharing his story with me.

Poney
Russo continues to write well, but reading endlessly about rather dull
characters is not too rewarding. Small, failing towns tend to seem even
more depressing under his pen.

Elizabeth
This book seems to me - and surely I cannot be alone in seeing this - to
be a very witty re-write, set in our contemporary world, of Jane Austens
"Pride and Prejudice".
It becomes very interesting to see the parallels and the differences in
the two periods, of the situations and ways of coping of a not-so-young
female person in her search for a suitable romantic match.

In response to Elizabeth's comment - based on an interview I read some time ago, I believe that Pride & Prejudice was exactly what Helen Fielding had in mind when she wrote the book!
- Davina, BookBrowse.com [/]