bookappeal

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 3 stars

“Ex-cop Elizabeth Phoenix has never been fond of her bursts of paranormal intuition but she trusts the voice telling her to visit Ruthie, her foster mother. Near dead from a brutal attack, Ruthie has just enough strength to tell Lizbeth "It's up to you. The final battle begins now." Elizabeth has no idea what this means but Jimmy, the cops' main suspect and her former lover, seems to be involved. When Ruthie appears in her dreams, Elizabeth slowly realizes she is already involved in a battle against monsters for the survival of humanity. Now if only she could keep all the different monsters straight! With a sarcastic tongue she can barely control and powers she's only beginning to comprehend, Elizabeth fumbles her way through a world filled with power, beasties, and intense sexual attraction in her first attempt to stall doomsday.

Any Given Doomsday is a supernatural urban fantasy spanning Milwaukee, New Mexico, and Manhattan with an even mix of humor, sex, mystery, and danger. Handeland gradually parcels out the explication of her new world order and keeps the pace moving briskly. Contains occasional strong language, frequent sex, and violence. ”

bookappeal wrote this review Tuesday, June 16 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“This book tries to be a suspenseful mystery as well as general fiction that sheds light on autism. The mystery fails but the author succeeds in creating a fascinating character and, by telling the story from various points of view, gives the reader a well-developed picture of autism and related issues of childhood and development.”

bookappeal wrote this review Monday, June 8 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“What would an adoptive mother do if she saw her child on a "have you seen this child" flyer? The desperation that any mother would feel in this situation makes it easy to forgive some of the actions of Scottoline's main character. A page-turner with some clever twists.”

bookappeal wrote this review Monday, June 8 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Fiona Sweeney, a 36-year-old librarian looking for meaning in life, leaves the Bronx for Kenya to establish a mobile library serving remote desert villages like Mididima. She finds eager patrons in Kanika, a brave girl raised by her steely grandmother who harbors a secret desire to become a teacher, and Matani, the mild-mannered teacher who supports Fi’s mission. However, Matani’s wife and other community members oppose Western “knowledge” as a threat to traditional wisdom. Tensions flare when Scar Boy, a youth shunned for his deformities, refuses to return his library books. The future of the camel bookmobile and Mididima itself are at risk. Hamilton captures the quiet beauty and underlying danger of the African desert while exploring her story through the unique views of each character.”

bookappeal wrote this review Wednesday, May 13 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Mary DiNunzio hopes to make partner in a cutthroat law firm, especially since the fatal accident that took her husband's life. She wins a major case but starts receiving vaguely threatening notes and is fairly certain someone is following her. Could it be a co-worker, jealous of her success? Mary is still grieving her husband and the absence of her twin sister who is sequestered away in a convent as a novitiate, and now she's starting to fear for her life. With the help of best friend and fellow lawyer, Judy, Mary tries to sort it all out with what will become her trademark inner strength, and sense of humor, seen in future Scottoline novels. ”

bookappeal wrote this review Sunday, May 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Oh for goodness sake, if you haven't read this series yet, READ IT! Lisa Lutz is smart, snarky, and truly funny.”

bookappeal wrote this review Thursday, May 7 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Fledgling vamp Zoey Redbird is starting to fit in at the House of Night school. Her advanced abilities have set her apart but she has a group of loyal friends and a really hot boyfriend as support. But with Erik away at a competition, Zoey inadvertently runs into ex (human) boyfriend Heath, deepening her imprint on him, and finds herself attracted to poet/teacher Loren. If that's not enough, boys from her old school start turning up dead, another fledgling dies, and Zoey is worried about the unusual behavior of both her mentor, Neferet, and her rival, Aphrodite.

Cast and Cast are able to create a more compelling story line in the second House of Night novel, since all the main characters have been established. Shifting alliances and secrets keep the reader guessing. Some of Zoey's internal monologue could cut but overall, the story moves well and leads nicely into the 3rd installment.”

bookappeal wrote this review Sunday, May 3 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Willett has been compared to Pilcher and Binchy but her stories, if this title is representative of her work, are not as compelling. The Way We Were jumps back and forth between 1976 and 2004. In 1976, Julia takes in her pregnant friend Tiggy, who dies in childbirth. Julia already has 3 kids and suffers a miscarriage at the same time but decides to raise Zack as her own. In 2005, Julia's kids are adults: Liv is helping an old boyfriend start a B&B with his wife, Zack is expecting his first child, and Andy is dating the daughter of a woman who almost ruined Julia's marriage. Though the individual stories are somewhat interesting, Willett weaves in an underlying vein of suspense that she overplays completely at the end. Descriptions of the scenery and characters' emotions may appeal to some readers but the story does not drive the book.”

bookappeal wrote this review Friday, May 1 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew trying to make a living in 17th century Amsterdam through futures trading, joins Geertruid, a Dutch widow, in devising a scheme to make a fortune off a new commodity - coffee. Secrecy and planning are of the utmost importance and Miguel uses his unorthodox friendships well. But a powerful businessman and member of the religious council is only one of many enemies who may be working against Miguel. Entertaining historical fiction but the stock market is just as confusing in its infancy as it is today and, though the characters are well-formed, none of them are particularly appealing. For fans of detailed historical fiction who don't require just, happy endings.”

bookappeal wrote this review Friday, May 1 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Don't read the book jacket - just dive right in. A well-written teen story about the influence of family and friends and music on a person's life. Grab the tissues!”

bookappeal wrote this review Saturday, April 18 2009. ( reply | permalink )