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The Vampire Armand: The Vampire Chronicles
by Anne Rice
 (8/12/2001)
Stephanie
Well, how should I start off? I loved this book! After reading all of the other Vampire Chronicles, I was thrilled about the prospect of a new one. If you've read the others, and were upset at the end of Memnoch the Devil, this book will bring you right back into the vampire coven's world... and even if you haven't read the others yet, this book is a wonderful piece of literature. Armand is an excellent, if somewhat unlikely, lead character, and actually, I feel he should have been written about more earlier! (And, for all you Lestat fans... read this book! Trust me!)

by
 (8/12/2001)
Jennifer Scarborough
Avid readers of the Anne McCaffrey Rowan series will enjoy seeing all her old character back in this final installation in the series. However, it does seem to me that she might have been dropping names to fill the pages at certain times in this book. It was more like a jumble of cameo appearances on one of those reunion shows that are all the rage on television these days. Also there was really no real conclusion, they didn't show any results of all their research at the end nor did they tell the sex of any of the babies on the way, (in her books there are always scores of babies, she is obviously against birth control). I liked this book, but I didn't LOVE it. I just kept reading it on and on and waiting for it to get better.

by
 (8/12/2001)
Katrianna
Anne McCaffrey out does herself with this interesting finale! She really knows how to captivate her audience to the very last moment!
The Testament
by John Grisham
 (8/12/2001)
Maria Delgardo
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I appreciated that a book published in the secular market was so clear in its presentation of the Christian concept of redemption. The story kept me entertained, but it also drew me to reflect on my own life.
The Target
by Catherine Coulter
 (8/12/2001)
Beth
Just got through reading this book - it was wonderful! Just enough romance to keep you smiling and enough suspense to keep you wanting to turn the pages as fast as you could read. I read the "The Maze" before this and was thrilled to find some of the characters from this book included. Can't wait to read her next thriller "The Edge."
The Target
by Catherine Coulter
 (8/12/2001)
Lynda Youngblood
I read "The Maze" first and it was wonderful. When I bought "The Target" and started to read it, it turned out to be a logical extension of the Maze. Fast paced, lot's of suspense, and an occasional warm fuzzy to keep the romantic in all of us interested. I have several Coulter books and find it very hard to put them down and go to bed. I will read till I drop. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this Coulter a 9. Vintage, just plain Vintage Coulter. Read it you'll love it. I'd like to see Catherine expand on Dillon. Dillon's beginnings would make a very good book. Where and why did he develop the computer skills. What precipitated his choices in life. Just curious.
The Saving Graces
by Patricia Gaffney
 (8/12/2001)
Kimberly
Well, I just wanted to say that I'm not really a bookworm, I don't read a lot, I got this book a few weeks ago and haven't been able to put it down! Women at work that have read it have commented on it. It is really good. I've laughed and cried reading it, it makes you feel like you're experiencing it with these women and you know them as they were your friends! It reminds me of myself and my circle of best friends. I especially like Emma. I will definitely read another P. Gaffney book!!
The Rescue
by Nicholas Sparks
 (8/12/2001)
Kristin
As with all of Sparks' novels, this one provides a large conflict and barrier the hero and heroine must pass through, though the outcome is definitely happy in this novel. I enjoyed every moment of this book. Adding in a son with a speech impairment made it even greater a triumph as the book ended. Sparks usually lacks happy endings, but does not fail in this story. And though it left me teary eyed, like all the rest, it was a truly great read.
The Reader
by Bernhard Schlink
 (8/12/2001)
Poison Ivy
As far as books go, Bernhard Schlink's The Reader, is a must. It is a fascinating book that depends completely on emotions--both the protagonist's and the reader's. By allowing the reader to accompany the young Michael Berg through his emotional and physical maturation, Schlink paves the way for a union between the reader of the book and the reader in the book. As a 15-year-old boy, Michael's first sexual experience is with the 36-year-old Hannah. Too young to cope with the overwhelming power of sexual gratification and emotional attachment, the protagonist is shaped and molded in ways even he couldn't understand. Despite this inverted power struggle, Hannah becomes an idolized illusion for Michael. During the trial, he comes across as a man whose buried guilt has turned him into a jaded reviewer of history, justice, laws written and unwritten. Michael Berg's detached yet riveted interest in Hannah's trial parallels and reflects his inner struggle with love, confusion, and guilt. Can one ever be rid of the instinct to dominate, violate, and control? Whether in war or in personal relationships, power struggles ignite . . . explode. . . implode. . . and leave their ineradicable mark on humanity.

by
 (8/12/2001)
Caleb
This book was most electrifying
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
by Simon Winchester
 (8/12/2001)
John Sinclair
The Professor and the Madman is one of the few books I have read virtually nonstop. I became so engrossed in the story line, I literally carried the book around with me until I had read it. Does Simon Winchester have an email address? I would like to congratulate him.
The Pilot's Wife
by Anita Shreve
 (8/12/2001)
Dee
I live in Cambridge, England and was given the book by an American friend. I have never read any of Anita's books before and was interested to give it a try.
At the beginning I found the book fascinating and intriguing - there was obviously a secret there somewhere! Unfortunately , as I read on I became more disappointed - the 'other' family was enough, surely, without the other issues?
Nevertheless, I will read more of Anita's books. One thing please - we don't drink glasses of 'ale' in England (well not since the 17th century at any rate!) and it doesn't rain all the time!!
The Pilot's Wife
by Anita Shreve
 (8/12/2001)
Amber
I do not understand the ending either! What lottery ticket is she talking about? And when she is saying that across the sea, is that to Jack or to Muire? I loved the book until I got to those last few lines. They totally threw me off!
[In later message] I get it!! The thing she had been meaning to do: call Muire. The lottery ticket: the one that had Muire's brother's number on the back. The silence in London: the person who picked up the phone did not respond. She was telling the "A" person (whom she had suspected had been given custody of the children) that she wanted to make sure they were alright. I am so relieved that I understand it now :) It really was a wonderful book.
The Pilot's Wife
by Anita Shreve
 (8/12/2001)
Amber
I do not understand the ending either! What lottery ticket is she talking about? And when she is saying that across the sea, is that to Jack or to Muire? I loved the book until I got to those last few lines. They totally threw me off!
[In later message] I get it!! The thing she had been meaning to do: call Muire. The lottery ticket: the one that had Muire's brother's number on the back. The silence in London: the person who picked up the phone did not respond. She was telling the "A" person (whom she had suspected had been given custody of the children) that she wanted to make sure they were alright. I am so relieved that I understand it now :) It really was a wonderful book.
The Pilot's Wife
by Anita Shreve
 (8/12/2001)
Lindsey
I'm not sure that I understand the ending to this book either. She ends the book by Kathryn saying: "I just wanted to know if the children are all right," she said across the sea. Does this mean that she called Muire in Ireland and became a part of their lives? If anyone knows what the ending means please tell me. Thank you!
The Pilot's Wife
by Anita Shreve
 (8/12/2001)
Kathy Raines
I enjoyed this book. It came very highly recommended by a friend, but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I expected. I found the descriptions quite good; I found myself pausing and rereading parts of them. For such an exciting topic, I thought it moved a bit slowly. I found myself hungry for a bit of humor now and then. Even books about tragedies can inspire a laugh now and then, maybe in the dialogue. Everyone seemed quite humorless. Nevertheless, I enjoyed getting into Katherine's (sp)? head; what happened in her mind seemed quite believable. As always, I wondered about the characters' economic situations. Personally, I can't just slap down the dough and speed off to England. In fact, I haven't been there yet. Most people I know save for a while before taking such a trip! I loved the theme of betrayal and the ever present question, "Just how well can you really know anybody?" It's universal; everyone deals with betrayal of various degrees in their lifetimes. I am glad I read the book. It will live on within me. Now here's one thing. How realistic is it that a good-looking, kind man would so quickly appear as a friend, even though he did withhold information for a while. However, I enjoyed it! The touch of romance was satisfying.
The Pilot's Wife
by Anita Shreve
 (8/12/2001)
Kathy Geisel
I'm not sure I understand the ending. When Ms. Shreve writes "She had thought, some weeks ago, that she might do this"....what does she mean by this? Does she mean she is planning on contacting Muire? Is Kathryn considering developing a relationship with Muire and her husband's other children? What do you think?
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
 (8/12/2001)
Chris
I am disappointed by Orinn Judd's observations on the matter of this novel being the most hateful material available. It is true that Nathan Price is projected as a stubborn and sometimes hateful man; however, this is not to be derived from his white, Christian position in the world. Before being sent to war, he was a kind-hearted preacher with the power of the Word in his soul. Upon his return from the war his perspective on what the Lord expected of him was most distorted. He thought that anything that brought him pleasure was sinful and that God was watching with a scornful eye. For this he saw his children as scorches in his purity before God and therefore a burden he regrets having acquired. For this he is hateful; for this he is destroyed. He is certainly not the representative of the Christian faith that he presented himself to be.
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
 (8/12/2001)
Virginia
The Poisonwood Bible is an excellent book. I was intrigued mostly by how the author developed these characters so well; I grew to love every member of this fictional family. I loved the fact that each chapter was narrated by a different daughter or the mother. It made me value the characteristics of each character and I enjoyed seeing each point of view. I felt like I could hear each voice because Kingsolver was able to vary her style so much from person to person. In this book, I don't think Kingsolver was saying that Christianity is bad, as a previous person mentioned in their review. I think in this book she was simply giving an example of how self-righteousness and pride can hurt others and drive them away. Christianity isn't bad, Nathan Price was just misinformed. This is an example of how tolerance and acceptance can do more than forcing your beliefs on others. As for the way Kingsolver talks about the United States, I don't think it is entirely uncalled-for. It is a wake-up call.
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
 (8/12/2001)
Autumn
As a college student who had the privilege to study in Central and Southern Africa, the Poisonwood Bible brought back so many memories. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories told by Orleanna, Rachel, Adah, and Leah and I understood their misconceptions about the "Tribes of Ham". Americans are often so judgmental and self -righteous that we, like Nathan Price, often fail to see our own shortcomings. I loved the history shared in this novel, and I think that it allows those who are not able to leave America to see themselves through the eyes of the Congolese.

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