Important Note: All reviews reflected on this page are solely the expressed opinions of the reviewer. Our reviewers are not paid or given any incentive by any publisher.
July Reviews
Title: Dreamers of the Day
Classification: Fiction
Author: Mary Doria Russell
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2008
Book Rating: 
Reviewer Comments: 40 year old Ohio schoolteacher Agnes Shanklin arrives at the Egyptian Semiramis Hotel just as the 1921 Cairo Peace Conference convenes. Turned away, she is rescued by T.E. Lawrence (Lawernce of Arabia) and finds herself amid the excursions and social life of Winston Churchill and Gertrude Bell. As a narrator to the reader she is an observer of the invention of Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. Charismatic German spy Karl Weilbacher adds a romantic interest to the mix. Interesting history, well crafted and engaging is "Dreamers of the Day".
Title: The Sugar Queen
Classification: Fiction
Author: Sarah Allen
Publisher: Bantam
Copyright: 2008
Book Rating:
Reviewer Comments: 27 year old Josey Cirrini, plain and plump, is caring for her difficult widowed mother when she discovers local waitress Della Baker living in her bedroom closet. Little by little Della is able to make Josey recognize her self worth and begin to live outside her stifling home environment. She also meets and bonds with Chloe who works at the local sandwich shop, and who is continually finding unexplained books by her side. As in "Garden Spells", Allen's first novel, there is a mystical and captivating effect in "the Sugar Queen". (Click here to check out other reviews for this title)
Title: Song Yet Sung
Classification: Fiction
Author: James McBride
Publisher: Penguin
Copyright: 2008
Book Rating:
Reviewer Comments: James McBride, author of "The Color of Water", tackles the issues of slavery in the 1850s on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Escaped slave Liz Sopcott's and retired slave catcher Denwood Long's paths cross as she tries to reach safety by following the "code" of the Underground Railroad. Social commentary on contemporary America is presented through Liz's dreams. Dealing with the Chesapeake Bay area gives a different perspective of slavery from the usual southern plantation story.
Title: Fearless Fourteen
Classification: Fiction
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Copyright: 2008
Book Rating:
Reviewer Comments: Once again Stephanie Plum and her cohorts try to solve a local mystery. This time $9 million dollars from an earlier bank robbery is the center of their search, and it may be buried at Joe Morelli's house. Lula and Ranger add to the humor and romance, as well as a raft of other crazy characters. "Fearless Fourteen" is a fun light quick "beach" read. (Click here to check out other reviews for this title)
June Reviews
Title: Now You See Me
Classification: Fiction
Author: Sandi Shelton
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Copyright: 2005
Book Rating:
Reviewer Comments: Sandi Shelton, author of three parenting books, uses this background in a debut novel about 30ish Maz Lombard and her wacky challenging family. Maz's life with her fortune telling mother, her philandering husband, her supportive best friend, and her two young daughters provide the reader with funny situations, unique characters and complicated situations.
Title: Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
Classification: Biography
Author: Julie Andrews
Publisher: Hyperion
Copyright: 2008
Book Rating: 
Reviewer Comments: "Home", Julie Andrews' memoir, starts with her birth in England in 1925 and continues through 1962. Born to an aspiring vaudevillian mother, Julie began her professional career at 12 with an astonishing voice. Throughout the first half of the book she recounts her difficult childhood during the war and traveling to performances with her mother and stepfather. The latter half of the book deals with the more technical aspects of musical theater and anecdotes about many famous performers including Rex Harrison and Richard Burton. "Home" is a bit dry and written with a reserved style one might expect from Andrews.
Title: Searching for Paradise in Parker, PA
Classification: Fiction
Author: Kris Radish
Publisher: Bantam
Copyright: 2008
Book Rating:
Reviewer Comments: Addy Lipton, married for 28 years, faces a difficult decision-does she still love and want to be married to her husband? With the support and love of her sister and close friends she takes steps to revive "paradise" in her hometown. Soon the men of Parker (husbands, friends, neighbors) realize they need to make the effort to improve their relationships. Once again Kris Radish tackles the challenges of relationships and the community of women- their problems and their strengths.
Title: Away: A Novel
Classification: Fiction
Author: Amy Bloom
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2007
Book Rating:
Reviewer Comments: "Away" is the epic story of Lillian Leyb, a young Russian immigrant, in the 1920's. Upon finding out that her little daughter might still be alive back in Russia, she embarks on a monumental journey from NY City up to Alaska and along the Telegraph Trail to Siberia. Hardship, wit, romance and heart back come together in this unusual yet compelling novel.
To read Carol's past reviews, please visit The Back Shelves
Meet Carol
Like a quilt, my life is made up of bits and pieces of time in which to read, quilt, cultivate friendships and visit my three grandchildren. Stitch in a full time job and life is full! My reading preferences run toward historically based fiction, mysteries and biographies.