July Books:

The Passage by Irina Shapiro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I loved it. Such a strange story, I shall try to keep the spoilers out. Irina Shapiro has taken an old, much used plot to create a wonderfully rich story. The plot line is sufficiently intricate to keep me interested 'til the end. Wonder of wonders, this is the first of a series. If she keeps the same rich, interesting characters, I'm in.
She has an interesting way of conveying the thoughts and motivation of several characters at a time. None of the people in the story seem to fall out of petrsona, that is they behave like real people even if the situation is unreal.

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The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I liked it enough to read another of Irina Shapiro's books. I have found an author I love. This was an out and out mystery, with a bit of a love story thrown in for good measure. This author has a way with characters that is only matched by her clever plot lines. Just intricate enough to keep me reading.
I moved to The Passage, another number one of a series by this author and found the same clever story and interesting, realistic characters.

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A Disruptive Invention by Peter Shackle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book ten years ago and did not remember it for a second. Its a theme I like and this time I like it better. I guess nothing stays the same. I thought the story was interesting and thoughtful. To lazy to look up my old review. Its a what if, story and is very technichal in the beginning but it smooths out later.

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Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, Peter Swanson has outdone himself this time. The characters are rich but there story is eeked out over a not too long book. A bit of moving through time but well worth it. He hands out enough to keep you reading but not enough to know exactly where he's going. But believe me, without and spoilers, he makes it to a satisfying ending. Hard to imagine people like this but who really knows.

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June Books

The Human Scale by Lawrence Wright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An incredible book. Takes a look at the Israeli Arab conflict from a perspective that I had never explored. Although a work of fiction, the characters and story are steeped in reality. The hopelessness and dispare on both sides is brutal and disgusting. No one, in this book, has the high ground. This book is well worth the read. It may enlighten and change perspectives.

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The Paris Network by Siobhan Curham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful book filled with memorable characters. I must thank this brilliant author for helping me to realize that the French did not fold under the German boot, their government did. The people remained chained and terrorized by their German captors while they waited for their allied friends to come and save them. I had always believed that the people of France were cooperating with their captors, from this book I see that they were unwilling participants in their captivity.
Many brave and selfless people were part of the resistance, and from this book one might guess that it was a greater number than we might imagine.
Thank you Siobhan Curham for sharing this story. You are what we call nice people in Yiddish, a mench!

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May Books

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

William Kent Krueger is a great author. His books are filled with wonderful imagery and the characters are rich and three dimentional. This book is no exception. The story is sad and the reader has a feeling of melancholy all through the book. This is not surprising as the whole world was in the midst of a great depression and almost everyone was hungry and grimy.
I am glad I read it and stuck it out to the end, even though I had retty much guessed the ending. Getting a glimpse of the depression was the saving grace of the story for me.

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Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved it. I loved the characters, the plot, the resolution, all of it.
What is it like to be old. Deanna Raybourn got it nailed. What could be more interesting than four delightful assasins. Their personalities don't always jive but they work well together.
This is a fitting book to follow Veronica Speedwell. The author does a masterful job of moving to a different era. Read it!

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April Books: