Peyton Place (Virago Modern Classics)60 reviews Grace Metalious Virago Press Ltd, 2009 Small town secrets + Shockingly Un- P.C. + Unexpected pleasure + Shocking 1950's Blockbuster Is Still A Pageturner             While I Was Gone305 reviews Sue Miller Ballantine Books, 2002 How to Be This book grips you page after page. A book for all who have memories that harry or haunt, who have secrets they don't know how to tell or integrate into their lives, who wonder who people think they are and wonder who they are themselves. Simply one of the best books I've read on working through ...             The Book of Joe64 reviews Jonathan Tropper Delta, 2005 An intelligent and funny novel. I loved it. + Fundamentally flawed guy makes for a compelling read + The Book of Joe I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and the humor. This would make a good movie--I read somewhere that it is being developed by one of the major studios. Hopefully, the studio won't rip it apart and change it so much that the original core story isn't there anymore. But back to the book. ...             Crow Lake (Today Show Book Club #7)125 reviews Mary Lawson Dial Press Trade Paperback, 2003 Quiet But Brilliant Novel About Family + A Troubled Family + great book! + MOST TOUCHING             Prep: A Novel484 reviews Curtis Sittenfeld Random House, 2005 Lighten up, guys! I got a kick out of this book, which I'd call "beach reading." Miss Sittenfeld certainly provoked some opinions, didn't she? I'm not sure it was ever intended to be a social manifesto . . . just one character's experience. The people freaking out are just SOOOOOO "LMC" . . . I must have been ...             Any Bitter Thing: A Novel35 reviews Monica Wood Ballantine Books, 2006 Best novel I've read in a long time + Great cast of characters! + Oh my goodness! + Happy childhood destroyed             Body Surfing: A Novel89 reviews Anita Shreve Little, Brown and Company, 2007 A Sequel of Sorts + Surfing Into Conflict + Shreve Does It Again Can a house be a main character? It is in this book, which features the same New Hampshire beach house that appeared in The Pilot's Wife, Fortune's Rock and Sea Glass. The house remains steadfast, but the lives of the people who occupy it are as stormy and unpredictable as the Atlantic Ocean it ...             More Than You Know: A Novel89 reviews Beth Gutcheon Harper Perennial, 2001 a+ + Haunting and memorable! + Ooooh That Was Good + GHOSTS & TRUE LOVE - WHO COULD ASK FOR MORE?!!!! + "More than you know" could have told us more             The Kindness of Strangers43 reviews Katrina Kittle Harper Perennial, 2007 Amazing + moving, unforgettable story + loved this book + Kindness and streetcars + Can't Put This One Down             Skylight Confessions: A Novel46 reviews Alice Hoffman Little, Brown and Company, 2007 hoffman never dissapoints! + Praise for Skylight Confessions and Alice Hoffman :) + Completely Enjoyable! Another outstanding Hoffman novel! I loved this book and was only upset about the ending..it kind of leaves you hanging, but it was still a great book. She has a way of making you feel for the characters. I loved this book!             Before You Know Kindness46 reviews Chris Bohjalian Vintage, 2005 deceptively simple This book, on the surface, is simple, straightforward and plot-driven. But the real power comes from its understatement. It is a beautifully-written and conceived story that reveals the complexity of human nature and yields a powerful statement about what is important in life. I am a ...             Family Tree82 reviews Barbara Delinsky Doubleday, 2007 Family History Mystery Excellent book by Barbara Delinsky. Loved the story line. If you're into Family History, you'll love this book.             The Emperor's Children (Vintage)241 reviews Claire Messud Vintage, 2007 Intelligent and sophisticated I really can't understand the many negative reviews this intelligent and challenging book has received. I have never lived in New York, but I imagine that at least some of the critical opinions might arise from the unease and discomfort caused by Messud's too vivid, warts-and-all portraits of its ...             Leeway Cottage: A Novel (P.S.)24 reviews Beth Gutcheon Harper Perennial, 2006 A True Eye-Opener Leeway Cottage by Beth Gutcheon is a wonderfully written story that is a blend of her vivid storytelling and obvious research. She paints such a clear picture of life in summer village in Maine, as well as the contrast between the summer residents and the lives of those upstairs and downstairs. ...             Joy School (Ballantine Reader's Circle)73 reviews Elizabeth Berg Ballantine Books, 1998 Wonderful + sweet story + A beautiful story about growing up + A Complete Joy! + Katie's growing up             Drowning Ruth: A Novel (Oprah's Book Club)333 reviews Christina Schwarz Ballantine Books, 2001 Well, wow.......but then hmmm..... + Terrific! + A good book + Drowning Ruth             My Latest Grievance27 reviews Elinor Lipman Mariner Books, 2007 Intelligent AND Fun Reading About This Quirky Family...Not just Chick Lit + Very Entertaining This was my second Lipman read. I much preferred it to The Inn At Lake Devine. After reading this book, I am going to check out all of Lipman's other novels. I thought it was a fun and intelligently written book. I especially enjoyed reading about the liberal, politically-minded David and Aviva ...             Nineteen Minutes: A Novel449 reviews Jodi Picoult Atria, 2007 wow + Very good book! + absolutely rivieted + Brilliant Book + Love it!             The Sisters Mortland14 reviews Sally Beauman Grand Central Publishing, 2007 Not what I expected...far better + absorbing + READER ALERT To paraphrase the saying regarding ducks: in many ways "The Sisters Mortland" walks like a gothic mystery-romance and talks like a gothic mystery-romance and the dust-jacket art even looks like a gothic mystery-romance...and yet, despite all that, the book is a great deal more. It features abundant ...             The Doctor's Wife68 reviews Elizabeth Brundage Plume, 2005 on the edge thriller - not for wimps + An Unexpectedly Good Read + Great start for this new author! This is an unusal thriller, the sort of novel that looks at many issues most people would rather not talk about, like the abortion issue - and mostly you don't find these subjects in regular thrillers. While there were a few scenes that made my hairs stand on end, I applaud this author's skill and ...