Peony in Love: A Novel103 reviews Lisa See Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2008 Favorite Summer Fiction Read + Loved this book. Such a wonderful love story. I wanted to be there and in the moment. It felt so real at times. I wanted to believe in the story so much....that all of it was really possible.             Desperation Moon26 reviews Ken Douglas Bootleg Press, 2003 Great find! + Non-Stop Action + A New Fan + A Book I Could Not Put Down             The Jewel Trader of Pegu: A Novel9 reviews Jeffrey Hantover William Morrow, 2008 Touching and Profound + A Gem of a Masterpiece + "Our companionship can only be in my dreams that I nw most eagerly invite." This is a perfect jewel of a story that I know I will be thinking about for a long time. It transported me to an exotic, long-ago setting, yet its themes are timeless and transcend cultural borders. It is about our need to connect with our common humanity, our universal longing for spiritual truth, ...             The Girl with No Shadow (published in the UK as The Lollipop Shoes)24 reviews Joanne Harris William Morrow, 2008 Relevant Magic + tri-perspective treat + More Witchy than Chocolat + Dark Chocolate for second helpings             Life Class: A Novel25 reviews Pat Barker Doubleday, 2008 Interesting setting; uninspired characters + A coda to the "Regeneration" trilogy I haven't read much fiction set during WWI and I thought the juxtaposition of the war front and the art school was very interesting and promising. The setting did come alive: the isolation of the art world and the horror of the battlefield hosptial are both well drawn. Unfortunately, the ...             River1 review Lowen Clausen Silo Press, 2008 Travels with Lowen Lowen Clausen's fourth novel, River, flows like the Loup, Platte, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers on which its protagonist, John, kayaks. He's searching for himself and grieving the premature death of his son, Amleth. Although River is a novel, the author's description and historical storytelling ...             River of Heaven: A Novel13 reviews Lee Martin Shaye Areheart Books, 2008 Another great read from a gifted storyteller + "It was a long time ago and we were different people" + My Midwest + A sweet and tragic story, well-told             A Golden Age: A Novel58 reviews Tahmima Anam Harper, 2008 a good reading but expected more regarding history of a bloody war that deserves more international attention. + Wonderful story of a woman's transition into independence + Luminous and poignant; a wonderful novel! + Wonderful view of colonial Sri Lanka!             A Baker's Odyssey, includes DVD: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes from America's Rich Immigrant Heritage5 reviews Greg Patent Wiley, 2007 The Gold Standard + More sweet than savory + Baking up a storm + Great Reference for Classic Immigrant Recipes + Amazing variety from all over the world             The Gift of Rain: A Novel13 reviews Tan Twan Eng Weinstein Books, 2008 Packs a Huge Emotional Punch + A triad of cultures + A True Gift + Magnificent, Masterful, Mesmerizing!             Firefly Rain (Discoveries)11 reviews Richard Dansky Wizards of the Coast Discoveries, 2008 Rural NC at its finest + Good Old Fashioned Ghost Story! + Haunting I think my favorite parts were the descriptions of the small town, Maryfield, and the people in it. Dansky really captures rural North Carolina in flux between encroaching technology and homogenization with its traditional (and quirky) community roots. The narrator is caught somewhere in between, ...             Homecoming: A novel13 reviews Bernhard Schlink Pantheon, 2008 true to form + The fathers + Brilliantly Written a clean and elegant narrative that marries the exploration of character with larger questions of German identity and family loyalty. The ending is awkward and bizarrely out of character with the rest of the book, but proof of its irrelevance is the fact that it still does not diminish the overall ...             Perfect Family: A Novel12 reviews Pam Lewis Simon & Schuster, 2008 Perfect Family is a Perfect Summer Book + Enjoyable Read + An entertaining and intriguing read... + Enjoyable read, though a bit too easy + compelling reading             The Cure for Modern Life: A Novel15 reviews Lisa Tucker Atria, 2008 TUCKER IS THE CURE FOR MODERN LITERATURE + What if.... With each book Lisa Tucker gets better and better. She's that rare author who writes beautiful, original stories with deep and meaningful characters. This book has her trademarks - people who crave family and carve it out of thin air if that's what they have to do - people who break your heart ...             The Sugar Queen52 reviews Sarah Addison Allen Bantam, 2008 Sweet Read + Sugar Queen + The Sugar Queen is SWEET. + Fairy-tale sweet             Silent in the Sanctuary54 reviews Deanna Raybourn Mira, 2008 Her own woman + Worth reading! + Enjoyable read + Angieville: SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY + Beautifully written, slow-paced mystery             Willing19 reviews Scott Spencer Ecco, 2008 Yes Yes Yes + Stunning + Willing Reader + **SPOILER REVIEW**             So Brave, Young and Handsome: A Novel82 reviews Leif Enger Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008 It's all about friendship .... + Intriguing Novel from Talented Author + A great modern western + another hit for Enger + Good historical novel about writer's block, personal relationships and redemption.             The Forgery of Venus: A Novel18 reviews Michael Gruber William Morrow, 2008 I didn't want to put it down! + Classic Gruber + Fascinating + A Novel with Sprezzatura             A Summer Affair: A Novel35 reviews Elin Hilderbrand Little, Brown and Company, 2008 Real People + Life isn't easy for anyone! + An Affair to Remember + Impressive but with room for more