Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz

Sole Survivor will keep you up into the midnight hour (or well past it). Koontz thrills, excites and builds momentum keeping you on your toes.

Koontz once again leaves you spellbound. This well written novel shows that he has the ability to write outside his typical realm while making the scenes leap off the pages. The details and descriptions are gruesome at times but it is necessary to aid the story line.

This suspenseful plot will keep you hooked.


Grade: A

Secret Society Girl: An Ivy League Novel by Diana Peterfreund

This novel is about friendship, college life, secret societies, belonging and gender equality. An easy read with semi- relatable characters. As a reader you will move effortlessly thru this book. You don't need to have belonged to a sorority or fraternity to relate. Secret Society isn't necessarily original but it will captivate you. 

  Grade: B+

Against Medical Advice: One Family's Struggle with an Agonizing Medical Mystery by James Patterson, Hal Friedman, Cory Friedman

Against Medical Advice is an intense and moving novel. It takes you onto a heart wrenching journey as Cory and his family attempt to find a "help" for his Tourette's and OCD that have plagued him from a young age, making his life at times unbearable.

His degree of honesty gives this story a personal feel and allows for an intimate look into his life. This bone chilling and haunting novel will keep you up way past your bedtime.

Go out and purchase this book NOW.

Grade: A+

The Thin Pink Line by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Thin Pink Line borders on being a complete and total mess. It is difficult to get through and I was soon skimming pages so that I could finish it and move on to something better. The character is suppose to be british but appears much more American (in her speech and traditions). This takes away from the setting and character development because is disrupts the flow and continuity. The characters with the exception of David have no redeeming qualities and the further you get into the story line, the slower it drags. The ending is contrived and nothing is resolved. Skip this book. 

Grade: D

Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward

Thought provoking and engrossing. How do you forgive the unforgivable? The lives of three women are intertwined due to the callous actions of one.

The novel details the lives of women on death row and briefly discusses the actions that caused them to get there (many of which we have seen in the headlines) along with giving a visual of the friendship and life of being an inmate on deathrow. Ward draws you into her novel and makes you anxious to turn the page to see what will transpire next.

Her writing and story lines give you a view on the death penalty. It might not change how you feel but it gives the person in the cell waiting for the eventual execution a degree of humanity.

This novel tells a tale of sadness, loneliness and hope.


Grade: A-

Little Children by Tom Perrotta

Little Children was neither good nor bad. Initially it captures your attention and then it slowly fades away only to pick up rather quickly as the end draws near. Everything ends rather fast and a bit to "pretty" with a large degree of predictability leaving much left to be desired.

This book has many central themes to it, which enhances the interest of the reader while maintaining some degree of reality. This along with, Perrotta's excellent use of words and writing skills help to keep one interested rather than fling the book across the room.

Expect a contrived and disappointing end along with stereotypical characters.


Grade: C+

Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger

Sadly, Weisberger's, Chasing Harry Winston is a miss.

This book doesn't come close to the cleverness and wit that we read in, The Devil Wears Prada. The plot if you want to call it that is weak and lacks imagination. Despite this, Weisberger manages to hold your attention (barley) due to the dynamic friendship between the main characters.

This book is a bit of a knock off, of Sex in the City. It ends a bit too pretty, as everything ties up nicely. Save your hard earned dollars and wait for paperback.

Grade: C-

Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest To Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass LookBig, Or Why Pie is Not The Answerby Jen Lancaster

Jen Lancaster, is laugh aloud hilarious.

She adds honesty and humor to make this entertaining book, funny for those with or without weight problems. Her footnotes add to the quirky writing. Lancaster's novel is like reading your favorite blog all in one huge dose. This is not the typical, whiny, emotional journey of weight lost we've gotten us to reading. Lancaster is on fire! 

  Grade: A

Revealers by Amanda Marrone

Revealers is about witches and the book does such a great job at keeping one entertained that I have changed my mind about "witch" books and look forward to adding them to my collection of books on the realms of the supernatural. The plot is a unique and there are many twists along the way, very few are predictable. The friendship relationships are realistic adding a special sweetness to this intriguing tale. This books is freaky fun. 

Grade: B+

Night World 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder by L.J. Smith

Spellbinder One could say that that Smith disappoints as her stories continue to move forward. Spellbinder seems more rushed than the two previous novels and the characters lacked depth and development.

I have more interest in stories about vampires, which may be the reason behind my dislike for spellbinder which deals with witches. I really wanted to like this story line but it dragged along and was quite simplified. 

  Grade: D

Night World 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder by L.J. Smith

Daughters of Darkness

Daughters of Darkness was a tad bit on the disappointing side. It just didn't' have the same spark as Secret Vampire.

It is a bit simplistic and not very enthralling. There is lack of suspense, excitement and that rush you get from reading a good book. The characters are over simplified and the ending has a predictable element to it.

Pass this story over... or read it, if you enjoy simplistic writing skills and weak story lines.


Grade: C-