Secrets to Happiness 2 stars. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one as reviews went from high star ratings to low star ratings. I, unfortunately, have to rate it as a lower one. So many things missed the mark for me with this book. The most obvious: when the cover of a book has only a picture of dog on it, you expect the dog to have a decent role in the story but nope, not this one. Being a dog lover, I kind of like stories where the dog has a contributing role to the story. The dog is hardly mentioned as far as it affects the supposed lead character (Holly). And speaking of lead characters, there really isn't one even though the book jacket leads you to believe there is. There are only several poorly developed, self-absorbed thirty-somethings who are trying to find love or belonging or whatever. Frankly, I'm not sure I even found any character likeable. Two Feathers had potential but his role is so small he's hardly worth mentioning. No focus in this story--which I don't always need but if there isn't focus there should be something else to redeem the book and this one lacked any redeeming qualitiy for me. It is a quick and easy read though if that's what you're looking for.
pjpick wrote:Secrets to Happiness 2 stars. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one as reviews went from high star ratings to low star ratings. I, unfortunately, have to rate it as a lower one. So many things missed the mark for me with this book. The most obvious: when the cover of a book has only a picture of dog on it, you expect the dog to have a decent role in the story but nope, not this one. Being a dog lover, I kind of like stories where the dog has a contributing role to the story. The dog is hardly mentioned as far as it affects the supposed lead character (Holly). And speaking of lead characters, there really isn't one even though the book jacket leads you to believe there is. There are only several poorly developed, self-absorbed thirty-somethings who are trying to find love or belonging or whatever. Frankly, I'm not sure I even found any character likeable. Two Feathers had potential but his role is so small he's hardly worth mentioning. No focus in this story--which I don't always need but if there isn't focus there should be something else to redeem the book and this one lacked any redeeming qualitiy for me. It is a quick and easy read though if that's what you're looking for.
Thanks pj, I would have thought the dog would have had a larger role in the story too 
optic_i wrote:
pjpick wrote:Secrets to Happiness 2 stars. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one as reviews went from high star ratings to low star ratings. I, unfortunately, have to rate it as a lower one. So many things missed the mark for me with this book. The most obvious: when the cover of a book has only a picture of dog on it, you expect the dog to have a decent role in the story but nope, not this one. Being a dog lover, I kind of like stories where the dog has a contributing role to the story. The dog is hardly mentioned as far as it affects the supposed lead character (Holly). And speaking of lead characters, there really isn't one even though the book jacket leads you to believe there is. There are only several poorly developed, self-absorbed thirty-somethings who are trying to find love or belonging or whatever. Frankly, I'm not sure I even found any character likeable. Two Feathers had potential but his role is so small he's hardly worth mentioning. No focus in this story--which I don't always need but if there isn't focus there should be something else to redeem the book and this one lacked any redeeming qualitiy for me. It is a quick and easy read though if that's what you're looking for.
Thanks pj, I would have thought the dog would have had a larger role in the story too
I hate it when I don't like books. It makes me feel like a negative person when I post a poor review but I would hope that it would save someone else some hard earned cash better spent on a better book.
I did not read all of this book, but I did look at all of the book. I just wanted to peruse the Louvre collection and this book was perfect for that. The organization of the book into major collections (Italian, Northern, French, and Spanish) and the further presentation of the paintings chronologically by artist allowed for a big picture understanding of the development of painting styles by region and over time.
This is a review of four books all of a series by Ally Carter.
I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls Series #1)
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls Series #2)
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (Gallagher Girls Series #3)
Only the Good Spy Young (Gallagher Girls Series #4)
Imagine if you were a private school girl. Isn't difficult for me since I was one, imagine if you have a small group of girlfriends that you hang with and, do everything with and ocassional that leads to some troublemaking, imagine if you are noticing boys really for the first time and, you get nervous around them, if these things are familar to you then you'll understand and love Cammie Morgan and her school friends. Cammie and her friends go to Gallagher's academy for extraordinary young women, and for most it's the finest boarding girl school around, but underneath that it's the finest spy school around which train girls for the CIA. Cammie can speak many languages, can do covert ops, but she becomes a shy nervous girl like any other teenager when around a cute boy and, she meets cute boys along the way. I totally recommend these books, they are young adult but, I think older readers can love Cammie as well. Hope you enjoyed the review.
Pearl of China 4 stars!
Although one might assume this book is a fictional account of Pearl S. Buck's relationships with China and a childhood friend, it is so much more. The character of Pearl is secondary to the author's main character which is the culture and life in China from the late 1890s to the mid 1970s. Min paints a lavish portrait of Chinese life in turn of the century China, it's people, customs, and political trials. Fans of Buck may pick up this book hoping to get in touch with Pearl but Anchee Min has honored Pearl by allowing the reader to get to know Pearl's China instead, and lets the reader in love with China's people. Min's writing is simple yet elegant; descriptive but not overly so. Most of all, she pulls you into the story making it difficult for you to leave. I look forward to reading more of Min's works in the future.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Series #1)
Since this book has a big mystery in it I'll be very careful not to ruin the plot for the few that have no read this best seller yet. Which until recently that actually included me. I enjoyed reading this in January, I couldn't put it down.
It's about a mystery of a wealthy family's member disapearing, the grandfather of this girl hires a magazine journalist that his creditablity has been recently trashed to investigate the mystery. Each member of this wealthy family have quirks about them and, gives it an edgy feeling. The girl with the dragon tattoo is an interesting character in herself, she's a hacker that can gather any information, she's a bit crazy as well.
I loved the originality of this book. It alternately tells a story set today with two folklore-ish stories set in the past. I thought it was great how all three stories tied together. What was not so great was the lack of ease with which the reader is able to piece together the big picture. It was a book that required a careful reading and some time to “process” after finishing it, but it was well worth it.
James Patterson is one of the best authors today. Toys is a spy novel with an exciting thriller pace. I enjoyed it as I have many of Patterson books. I got it recently and thought it would take me about a month to read with my school schedule but, I couldn't put down my nook and had it read in a few days and would been even faster if class didn't get in the way. If you like action stories, consider reading it.
lisavergehiggins wrote:
I just finished The Story Of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. It starts in the 1960s about a young woman with a developmental disability and a young deaf man, locked away in an institution, and the people who help and hurt them over the next thirty years. The first twenty pages are impossible to put down. Lovely, lovely book.
Lisa, you sneaky author you. Hey gang say hello to our featured author of the Month of March Lisa Verge Higgins were we'll be chatting with her about her amazing book
The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship
thanks for the recommendation Lisa
the rest of you have a little over two weeks until we start, don't delay get the novel and join in the fun.
Here's my latest recommendation, and it's also our June Featured novel
enjoy
http://thereadingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2012/02/revie
I have to share this delightful novel with you. Here is the synopsis:
Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.(synopsis from Goodreads)
and here is a link to my review: http://kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewer.blogspot.co
kimba88 wrote:
I have to share this delightful novel with you. Here is the synopsis:
Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.(synopsis from Goodreads)
and here is a link to my review: http://kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewer.blogspot.co
m/2012/02/snow-child-by-eowyn-ivey.html
Hi Kim, thanks for the share, Great review
Hello all! New here. New to any discussion group in fact. 
I am almost to the end of this book and I am loving it! It is a bit crass in spots (which I could do without) but I think it might actually add to the realism and the intensity. I wish I could find more books that are this well written!
I am going on vacation to Florida next month and I am all out of books to read so I am desperate to find something new. Thank you all for posting. I am getting a lot of great suggestions. 
Morgan_Lafey wrote:
Hello all! New here. New to any discussion group in fact.
I am going on vacation to Florida next month and I am all out of books to read so I am desperate to find something new. Thank you all for posting. I am getting a lot of great suggestions.
Hi Morgan, welcome to the forum.
Can you tell us what book you're reading
and tell us what kind of books you like and I know there are many of us who will give you ideas for your vacation reading
I hope to see you again soon
This book had it all --- adventure, romance, history, family drama, and mystery. It was a fun book to read, but don’t go into it expecting a believable story, even though it contains elements of truth and realism. Four out of five stars.
This short book was a wonderful portrait of the immigrant experience of a young woman fromIrelandin the early 1950’s. The book seamlessly mixed period details within the story of Eilis’ life over a two year period. The fourth part of the four part book was full of tension and was a great finish to the story. Four out of five stars.
Fozzie wrote:
This book had it all --- adventure, romance, history, family drama, and mystery. It was a fun book to read, but don’t go into it expecting a believable story, even though it contains elements of truth and realism. Four out of five stars.
This short book was a wonderful portrait of the immigrant experience of a young woman fromIrelandin the early 1950’s. The book seamlessly mixed period details within the story of Eilis’ life over a two year period. The fourth part of the four part book was full of tension and was a great finish to the story. Four out of five stars.
Thank Laura, good to see you
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Based on the synopsis of this short book, I expected a serious story about re-education duringChina’s Cultural Revolution. While the book is indeed about that subject matter, it is told in an unexpected way. At times, the book was laugh-out-loud funny! At times, it was heartbreakingly sad. It was always entertaining and yet educational.
