STARS TITLE COMMENT
– I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE reviewed by Suzanne elsewhere on the site
5 OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE Amazing story as sharp as a Samurai’s sword.
5 CHIEFS . OUTSTANDING A challenger to Harper Lee’s crown
5 A MAN CALLED OVE Sad reminder of inevitability of old age
5 DEAD WAKE For history buffs; a terrific historical fiction
5 FALL OF GIANTS Ken Follet always delivers a very good read
4 THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER Man is destroying earth theme; enjoyable read of Africa
4 BEING MUSLIM (SHORT VERSION) Author is TorStar journalist; excellently written analysis
4 NO RELATION Fallis never fails to rock
4 CONFESSION A tight, well written story of an accused black teen
4 MISSING ( A PRIVATE NOVEL ) Collaboration works this time; detective story worth reading
4 THE FIX Baldacci always delivers a good detective story.
4 EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU Anti racism theme; dystopian family scene
4 THEY LEFT US EVERYTHING Nostalgic reminiscing of mother and siblings
4 STONE RAIN Linwood Barclay novel writes terrific adult “comic books.”
4 CONCLAVE Trying to emulate DA VINCI CODE
4 CAMP 14 North Korea escapee rivisiting his days of imprisonment
4 MASSEY MURDER REVISITED For Toronto history buffs
4 MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL The writing style makes the read worth it; Nazism
4 ORPHAN TRAIN For WW II history buffs
4 STATE OF WONDER Intricate plot, engaging; a hypothetical medical breathrough
4 THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL Misogyny in Afghansistan
4 DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY Suspenseful thrilled, polished writing, very engaging
4 A HOUSE IN THE SKY racism, right wing politics, extremism, mysogyny…all here
3 BLITZED A stretch in credibility; entire military drugged?
3 LAST POLICEMAN Futuristic genre; detective story
3 MR. PENUMBRA’S 24 HOUR BOOK STORE Engaging story about a mystical book store.
3 THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY Interesting ‘travelogue set in England
3 ROSIE PROJECT Humourous, fun read, light
3 LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS “Snow child” set in Australia on an island with a lighthouse.
3 GOLDEN EGG…BRUNETTI SERIES Donna Leon’s is current and touristy
3 100 YEAR OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW A fun read; advanced age is not an obstacle
3 BOOK THIEF WWII history buffs; Anne Franklin lives on!
3 STUART WOODS SERIES Almost any Woods by Woods is a good read
3 WHY BE HAPPY WHEN YOU COULD BE NORMAL? Cerebrally elevated and captivating written manipulation
3 SHAKESPEARE’S BASTARD Interesting historical fiction. Engaging.
3 MY VENICE Good if you love Venice, been there and enjoy Italy.
3 COPPERMINE A captivating, suspenseful enjoyable into early Canadian history
3 SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN Nice story, romantic, implausible but fun.
3 CUTTING FOR STONE Slow start but engaging once it really gets off the ground
4 BEST LAID PLANS 2 thumbs up, unanimously
3 CALEB’S CROSSING REVIEWED Well written, engaging historical fiction of early New England
3 MAJOR PETTIGREW’S LAST STAND An unexpectedly warm romance of a stiff upper lipped Brit
2 NEVER NEVER Co-authorship writing seldom works; cheap copout by original author
2 WOOL Sci Fi dystopian society
2 THE UNIT Sci Fi dystopian society
2 419 Story based on modern Internet scams
2 THE WHISTLER Disappointing legal expose by Grisham
2 THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN Amazingly overrated
2 CONFABULIST Overrated but a entertaining way to pass some time
2 CHASING THE DIME A weak channeling of Raymond Chandler
2 PARIS WIFE Exploitation of Hemmingway connection
2 ON SUCH A FULL SEA Interesting futuristic take on an Asian dystopian society
2 THIRTEENTH TALE Erratically written, but polished and readable.
2 ROOM Such examples of cruelty really happen; I don’t like reading it.
2 MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE The title offers more than the book delivers
2 BEAUTIFUL RUINS Life’s a bowl of cherries, can be the pitts
2 SECRET KEEPER A chore to read if you are not into British romance
1 ADULTERY Utter piece of ‘unadulterated’ crap
1 BEING MUSLIM (DETAILED VERSION) Too proselytizing
1 A GOOD YEAR FOR THE ROSES Schmaltzy British based romance
1 DANTE CLUB Example of author’s grasp failing to reach its target
1 PROPHECY Tedious piece of junk
NO SECRET HISTORY Worst book I ever read. Hollywood might redeem it, Tartt can’t
