I continue to be amazed by how effectively this author can combine an intense level of humor and violence, and maybe that is what draws me to her books. In this book, one of her earlier ones, Stephanie Plum and her on-again off-again boyfriend Joe Morelli are off-again. This means Stephanie is fee to enjoy her time with Ranger the mysterious man she sometimes partners with. And yes, there is the expected destruction of a car, and a stun gun that only works when you don’t want it too; all the things we look forward to in her books.

So here is a perfect example of why I try really hard not to give up on a book once I start it. The beginning is filled with a description of so many odd named people and one line of their back story that I almost put this down for good. But I hung in there and was rewarded. It’s really a touching tale of life in a community in Brooklyn in 1969 and all the trouble and beauty that went with it. It was a time when everyone knew everyone and taking care of one another was everything. There are a couple of just very silly parts, but overall the writing is beautiful and inspired. Hang in there; it’s worth it!

This book had, at times, the feel of a cozy mystery but had some really bad violent characters as well, making for an interesting mix. In essence, you never know what’s around the next corner, or page in this case. Throw in the curiosity and eccentricity of cats, and you have an interesting story. The story begins with a couple away on vacation and the cat sitter walks in to find a murder. But some people turn out not be who they appear to be as the plot thickens.

Powerful, emotional and shocking

King is my all-time favorite author and the only reason I gave this book 4 rather than 5 stars is that it’s a bit dark, even for King and I had some trouble getting through parts of it. And unlike much of King’s other work, which is really about human nature and how people will react in certain situations, this one is primarily about some really terrible creatures. The books two main characters are Dan Torrence, the young boy, now a man, who survived the story described in “The Shining”, and a young girl named Abra who shares Dan’s ability to “shine”. They come together in this story to battle the evil creatures but they also discover something about themselves and their relationship. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you like a story that may frighten you, then you will enjoy this one.

I LOVED this book. It was a wonderful glimpse into the life of the Egyptian Royals. It was a great piece of fiction about the only female pharaoh in the history of Egypt and what life could have been for her.

Now here is a genre that I would not normally read, but I have read two of her books recently and enjoyed both very much. And what book could be better for a bibliophile than his one that takes place in a library? The story bounces back and forth between two time frames and gives you a look challenges faced by a family who used to live in and care for the NY public library and the current challenges faced by the library’s special collection curators. I learn so much by reading her books.

Very well written though sometimes uncomfortable to read . Almost a coming of age story of a young black woman , finding her ground , career and adult life - short and sweet with a bit sour mixed in .

What I love about this book is that it’s not the typical “who-dunnit”, where the chase leads from person to person, eliminating suspects. In this book, there is so much going on with the plot that everyone is relevant in the end. And the lines between the good guys and the bad guys is not clearly drawn. Someone is accosting woman on the streets and now a young girl has gone missing. It must be the creepy guy who lives on the block, right? But then again….

Now here is a book that everyone should read. It makes you really think about life and the perspective from which we view it. The idea is simple, if fanciful; If there were infinite possibilities for the life we could choose, which one would be take? This question is explored in a repetitive fashion but stops just short of being too much so. There are some lines in the book, particularly at the end, that you will take with you after you have finished the book. A particularly good read for anyone feeling down.