The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful book. There was nothing about it that I didn't love. First of all, I love hearing the contribution of women during wartime, even with massive misogyny. This story weaves in and out of two eras and eventually brings them together wonderfully.
The writing style is exquisite. I love Ms. Quinn's use of language and he ability to portray emotion on paper. I felt for the characters.
What seemed like a "story" about interesting people during the war turns out to be a well-researched novel based on real people and real events. Some of the characters are synthesized but the author has taken pains to create a story that may seem unbelievable but in reality, is a tribute to these strong women. Thank you, Ms. Quinn, I learned a lot and look forward to more books from your pen.


View all my reviews

A Delicate Touch by Stuart Woods
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an incredible book. Stuart Woods has taked the headlines and written a story around them. The events, plot and characters are fiction but the concepts are real and frightening.
I love these stories because they are usually realatively light and fun. This one was light, fun and serious. Out modern world creates serious situations that most of us can only imagine. A clever mind like Stuart Woods' can make things might be mundane, dangerous and frightening.
On a lighter note, some of the new characters give us great promise for more Stone novels. I can't wait. Bring them on.

View all my reviews

Secret Asset by Stella Rimington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book with a terrific plot and characters. I read the 10th in the series and decided to go back and read them all. This is book 2 and I can see the main character developing. She is smart, clever and sophisticated. I enjoyed the story very much. The book is very British to the point that I had to look up some slang and try to imagine some others.
As in all spy novels one has to decide if the events are plausable. This story is very real and the characters behave like real people, not superheros. They make mistakes and wrong decisions, get tired and simply behave the way one would expect.
I'll get to the next one in a few days.

View all my reviews

Books Read 2018

1. The Midnight Line (Jack Reacher #22) - Lee Child
2. A Replacement Life - Boris Fishman
3. Unbound (Stone Barrington #44) - Stuart Woods
4. The Widow - Fiona Barton
5. Manhattan Beach - Jennifer Egan
6. Hillbilly Elegy - J. D. Vance
7. Deep Freeze (Flowers - 10) - John Sandford
8. Chiefs (Will Lee #1) - Stuart Woods
9. Run Before the Wind (Will Lee #2) - Stuart Woods
10. Deep Lie  (Will Lee #3) - Stuart Woods
11. The Nest - Sweeney, Cynthia D'Aprix
12. Grass Roots (Will Lee #4) - Stuart Woods
13. The Run (Will Lee #5) - Stuart Woods
14. Capital Crimes (Will Lee #6) - Stuart Woods
15. Mounting Fears (Will Lee #7) - Stuart Woods
16. The Kremlin's Candidate - Jason Matthews
17. Orchid Beach (Holly Barker, #1) - Stuart Woods
18. Orchid Blues (Holly Barker, #2) - Stuart Woods
19. Blood Orchid (Holly Barker, #3) - Stuart Woods
20. Iron Orchid (Holly Barker, #5) - Stuart Woods
21. Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker, #6) - Stuart Woods
22. The Last Letter from Your Lover - Jojo Moyes
23. Shoot First (Stone Barrington, #45) - Stuart Woods
24. Greeks Bearing Gifts (Bernie Gunther, #13) - Philip Kerr
25. Twisted Prey (Lucas Davenport #28) - John Sandford
26. When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi
27. The Rising Sea (NUMA Files, #15) - Clive Cussler
28. Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs, #2) - Jacqueline Winspear
29. Pardonable Lies (Maisie Dobbs, #3) - Jacqueline Winspear
30. Messenger of Truth (Maisie Dobbs, #4) - Jacqueline Winspear
31. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
32. The Other Woman (Gabriel Allon, #18) - Daniel Silva
33. Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46) - Stuart Woods
34. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
35. An Incomplete Revenge (Maisie Dobbs, #5) - Jacqueline Winspear
36. The Money Shot (Teddy Fay #2) - Stuart Woods
37. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion - Fannie Flagg
38. Dear Mrs. Bird - A.J. Pearce
39. Warlight -Michael Ondaatje
40. Once We Were Brothers (Liam Taggart & Catherine Lockhart #1) - Ronald H. Balson
41. The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar - Robert Alexander
42. The Moscow Sleepers (Liz Carlyle #10) - Stella Rimington
43. Desperate Measures  (Stone Barrington, #47) - Stuart Woods
44. Holy Ghost (Virgil Flowers, #11) - John Sandford
45. The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom
46. Past Tense (Jack Reacher #23) - Lee Child
47. Post-Office Girl - Stefan Zweig
48. Dark Sacred Night (Renée Ballard, #2) - Michael Connelly
49. Sea of Greed (NUMA Files #16) - Clive Cussler
50. Heads You Win - Jeffrey Archer
51. The Aurora Mandate (The Aurora Conspiracies Book 1) - Sam Nash
52. Educated - Tara Westover
53. At Risk (Liz Carlyle #1) - Stella Rimington

My favorites…. Educated, by Tara westover and Lee Child’s The Midnight Line. Possibly because it opens your eyes to where the opioid problem stems from.

At Risk: by Stella Rimington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stella Rimington is a retired spy. Even without knowing this, her books have an edge of authority that makes them very reasonable and readable. The stories are believable and entirely feasable. This is not spy fantasy, or action for action sake. This story is about logical and intelligent investigating. Its filled with intelligence and real adventure. I loved it. I read the tenth book in the series a while back and now I'm going to read the rest in order, this is number 1.

View all my reviews

Educated by Tara Westover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maybe the best book of 2018. I loved it. The story, the writing, even the message is clear and worthwhile. Hate to spoil it for my friends so I just suggest you read it. There were a couple of rough and violent passages but all in all its a great read. I hope that Ms. Westover has another book in her because she writes beautifully and clearly. I enjoyed this immensely.

View all my reviews

The Aurora Mandate by Sam Nash
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting idea but just a vague telling. I just never got into it. The characters were mostly thin and their motivation was almost like cardboard, stiff and obvious. I guess I just didn't like it and I'm pretty much a slut where books are concerned, I like everything.

View all my reviews

Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite authors and I was not dissappointed. The story is cleverly woven and interestingly presented. It can be taken on many levels and has enough sub-plots for a couple of books but I bet this one is a stand alone. Nothing like a story that weaves in and out of history, bluring the line between the past and the story. I love it.

View all my reviews

Sea of Greed by Clive Cussler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

just enough science and fact to make it seem plausible, just enough current events to make it interesting. Tons of impossible action and saved by the bell excitement. NUMA files are just fun to read and as the characters mature they become more and more interesting. James Bond under water. Non-stop action and clever plots. I just love these books.

View all my reviews

Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Renee Ballard is a wonderful character. Teamed with Harry Bosch she shines through as a force of her own. I look forward to more in this series and might go back and pick up the Bosch series too. Connelly is a genius at both plot and character. You get so much from so few words. Loved it.

View all my reviews

The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic slice of history. Well written with incredible character development and plot. I loved it. This book won a well deserved award for translation. It is a beautiful book about the effects of war on individual people and their moral sense. I could not put it down. The story is compelling and the effect on the reader could be profound. Loved it.

View all my reviews

Past Tense by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lee Child is as good as an author can be. His characters, story and writing is so smooth and effortless to read. I can't put his book down once I start because his stories just grab me and pull me in. This one was no exception. Read it right now, don't ask what its about, it is a complicated and intricate story that unfolds beautifully and reaches a beautiful conclusion.
Even if you've never read any of the Reacher series, this book will stand alone very well. If you have read them all it fits neatly into the story line.

View all my reviews