8. Promises in Death by J.D. Robb – This is possibly my fav of the Eve Dallas detective novels. It’s the 28th of them and just came out this year, and I finished it in 2 marathon reading jags at the local library Books-a-Million. (Not to worry, I also spent about $100 on other books, so BaM didn’t lose any cash on me.) It’s not as over-the-top and fish-out-of-water as the other 27, not as violent at the end, not as unbelievable in its reliance on “coincidence” for the plot to be credible. And the character treatments are more subtle and real. A really good read. (finished 3/4)
9. Wicked by Gregory Maguire – Lord, it took me a long time to read this book! Weeks, in fact. Now, it’s not because the book isn’t good or well-written, as it is both. It’s also dense and involving, requiring concentration and attention to detail, which it’s loaded with. I cannot imagine how they got a Broadway musical out of this story, as it doesn’t seem to lend itself to that sort of treatment. Greg Maguire is a fabulous (in every sense of the word) writer and I hope you’ll give him a Wicked chance to prove it. (finished 3/15)
10. The Cannibals by Cynthia D Grant – Don’t waste your time on this YA book. Unless you’re a teen girl who’s looking for a parody of the pretty, popular girls who may torment her in high/middle school, you won’t find anything in its pages worthwhile. I rarely finish a book that starts this badly, but I thought that surely it must have a turnaround in the middle, or else why would it have gotten published? Yeah, still no answer to that one. (finished 3/18 )
11. The Fiction Class by Susan Breen – This is such a good book that I found I had no desire to start a new book for hours after I finished it. I wanted to linger in this author’s world a while longer. In short, I loved it. (And after the last book I read, I really needed a good book.) The novel offers a short course in writing fiction while telling the engaging and believable story of Arabella, the woman who teaches an adult-ed course, Beginning Fiction, and of the students in her class. The teacher is the main character and she’s someone you like spending time with. Her story touches your heart and leaves you hoping for good things for Arabella, even as you know she’s not a real person. If you never do any of the writing exercises, you will still find this book to be a real treat. If you do them, so much the better, as your own inner writer will find them useful and even fun. Highly recommended. (finished 3/19 )
12. Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner – A good read, although the “satisfying emotional payoff” at the end felt rushed and, well, a little unsatisfying. Still, the book is solidly plotted, well written and packed with quirky and memorable characters. The protagonist is easy to identify and sympathize with, written with a fun sense of humor. (finished 3/27)
