Best Gabaldon, Diana
Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ...and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves. With her now-classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon introduced two unforgettable characters -- Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser -- delighting readers with a story of adventure and love that spanned two centuries.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not only did she write this long novel (plus seven more, plus some related novellas and such), and keep it endlessly entertaining with vivid characters and fresh plot twists galore. They are the kind of verbal jewels that make any author gasp and say "I wish I wrote that." The odds are slim that anyone will encounter this five-star review in the vast ocean of existing appreciation for this delightful book and its author. If, perchance, a live person actually reads this review, please let me know with a "helpful" vote."
"With the the portability and ease of reading electronically I am reliving the stories of Clare and Jamie and Brianna and Roger et al again. Diana delivers the emotion, sights, sounds, smells, triumphs and failures with her words. She always finds alliterative and clever phrasing to bring everything alive - whether it is a trip across the sea or a dangerous encounter or mundane every tasks or Clare and Jamie enjoying the delights of each other intimately."
"At first I was nervous, I wouldn't be able to keep my attention to the book because of the almost 900 pages but believe me when I say it was an easy and fast read. Sometimes it would get on my husband's nerves that my nose was always in this book..hehe.. And I dreamt about the Scotland Highlands and of course Jamie Fraser."
"Fabulous story line, weaving fantasy, love stories, geography, and history... My friend is obsessed with everything Outlander! The story line is fabulous, weaving fantasy, relationships, and several love stories in with breathtakingly beautiful geography and realistic history, including wars, peace, and the hardships of a life in Scotland, before the luxuries we enjoy today."
A worldwide sensation with more than 12 million copies in print, Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series has produced #1 best-selling novels and earned a fiercely devoted fan base. Another spellbinding entry in the series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes continues the saga of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century, time-traveling wife, Claire.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"a couple of times now and am in awe of how the author was able to keep such a healthy momentum of anticipation and excitement playing out for the readers throughout the length of this not-so-diminutive novel. The Christie's, Uta and Robin's brood, the Bug's, the Beardsley's, Lizzie and Joseph, Bobby, Amy, - heck, even Adso and Rollo..."
"In A Breath of Snow and Ashes, some questions were answered, some characters revealed for their true selves, and the main characters, who I have come to love, age and evolve. Jaime and Claire are growing older, but are still very much in love and still very vital. His unrequited love for Jaimie as been turned into the raising of Jaimie's son, William who makes a brief appearance in this novel."
"Being Scot/Irish American, from a family who never discussed its roots, I never quite got the English vs. Scottish enmity, but thanks to the Outlander series, I understand our heritage much better now, wherein just as today, fools can rule the naive and incite the brave to rebellion."
"Loved this one also."
"I hesitated to begin this volume after crashing bore that was "The Fiery Cross," but the relatively high ranking among the Amazon reviewer community pushed me forward. I am glad to say that I agree with the consensus that "A Breath of Snow and Ashes," the sixth in Gabaldon's series about time-traveling nurse-then-doctor Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser, is a heartening return to form. A stiff upper lip and getting on with it are all well and good, but this seems a bit much even for Claire, who served as a British Army nurse in World War II. At least this time around, the action is exciting, the plot moves forward instead of in circles, Brianna, Roger and Jemmy are more rounded, mature and less infuriating characters, and we learn interesting stuff about secondary characters including Ian, Jamie's aunt Jocasta and her husband Duncan, the Christie family, and the Bugs. Dragonfly In Amber. Outlander. Voyager. A Breath of Snow and Ashes. An Echo in the Bone. Drums of Autumn. The Fiery Cross."
Hurtled back through time more than two hundred years to 1743 Scotland, Claire Randall finds herself caught in the midst of an unfamiliar world torn apart by violence, pestilence, and revolution and haunted by her growing feelings for a young soldier, James Fraser. successfully [juggles] a sizable and captivating cast of characters; developing thrilling plotlines that borrow equally from adventure, history, and romance; and meticulously integrating a wealth of fascinating period details into the story without slowing down the pace.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Believing Jamie to be dead and lost at sea, along with his sister Jenny, Claire married Lord John Grey after rumblings in the British Army had her targeted for arrest on account of being a spy. Not, in fact, being dead and lost Jamie returned to find Claire at Lord John's house in Philadelphia where he was at once confronted with the fact that his wife was married to his dear friend, and his son William (Ninth Earl of Ellesmere) was confronted with the world's worst kept secret - that he is in fact the illegitimate son of James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser - a rebel Highlander. Elsewhere in 1778 - young Ian, Jamie's turned-Mohawk nephew was laying his heart at the feet of Quaker woman, Rachel Hunter, and making plans to wed her. Good, because it's been five years waiting for this much-anticipated 814-page eighth book in Diana Gabaldon's epic `Outlander' series. The first few books of `Outlander' were told from Claire's first-person perspective, but as she and Jamie have expanded their family so too have the players increased (along with word-count!). and now we have alternating chapters following Brianna, Roger, Jem, Ian, Lord John Grey, William and Jamie. But it's a testament to Diana Gabaldon and the two who started us on this odyssey, that Jamie and Claire are still the pivot point and grounding force of this series. In `Written in my Own Heart's Blood' (or, `MOBY' as Gabaldon has been referring to it on social media for the last five years - for My Own Heart's Blood = MOHB = MOH-B = Moby) Jamie and Claire have obstacles placed before them from the get-go. But upon his return from the dead, Jamie finds Claire married to Lord John Grey and the secret of his being father to William Ransom exposed - and this is our introduction back into the world of `Outlander' and the Fraser's ever complicated romance (even assuredly soul-mates as they are, these obstacles do keep readers on emotional edge). I also wanted more scenes between Ian, Rachel and William - Jamie's son who actually met Rachel and her brother, Denny, before Ian did and who fancies himself half in love with Ms Hunter (even while grumbling that she has indeed given her heart to his Mohawk cousin). A few times it's hinted that William is indeed harbouring deep affection for Rachel, but it's only known to readers through his interiority and I would have liked to observe them interacting a bit more to make up my own mind - particularly interactions between the three of them to know how Ian feels about his cousin's affections. and released the same year as first book in the `Outlander' series is coming to the small-screen - there was a lot resting on the release of MOBY, and I'm happy to say that Diana Gabaldon delivers ten-fold with this, the eighth book in a series that doesn't appear to be wrapping up anytime soon. But by the last page I found myself grateful again - that Diana Gabaldon has remained such a steady and true author, consistently delivering epic instalments in Jamie and Claire's odyssey and that I have had the great reading privilege of watching these characters grow and evolve."
"I was fortunate to have read the first seven books back-to-back and never before experienced boredom reading this series - by the end of this installment, I was scanning the pages to see if anything interesting was going on. On another point, I am not enthusiastic about the casting for the tv series - the whole time I read this book, i could only picture the tv actors as Jamie and Claire and it just didn't work for me."
"Brianna was raped, then she had some kind of weird relationship with her rapist, which I never understood, and led to her being put in danger and almost being sold into slavery (where she was again physically assaulted as a potential buyer "assessed" her person). And in this novel, Brianna is forced to strip and be touched by Rob Cameron, who intends to rape her, but she grabs him by the balls (literally) and disables him before he can finish the deed (it's still a sexual assault...if this was supposed to be cathartic, like, look she can fight back and defend herself now, it was not). And finally, upon returning to the Ridge, Claire miraculously encounters the apparent sole survivor of her gang assault and the one man who technically "fully" raped her, and decides to try to forgive him for his crimes, only to have Jamie find out and presumably kill him (it happens "off screen" as it were and is only discussed after the fact by Jamie and Claire). It's fine to have multiple threads or stories going on in a novel, as long as the author is sure to wrap each one up by the end of the book and tie them into a common theme/structure. A lot of main characters are gravely injured, but miraculously survive without much ill effect (I'm getting tired of this go to tension builder as well - someone who is shot, stabbed or otherwise wounded in that time period doesn't recover to 100% like these people do."
Best ( G )
Davina Porter's lyrical narration will launch listeners into an exhilarating world of heroism, pulse-pounding adventure, and breathtaking romance as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not only did she write this long novel (plus seven more, plus some related novellas and such), and keep it endlessly entertaining with vivid characters and fresh plot twists galore. They are the kind of verbal jewels that make any author gasp and say "I wish I wrote that." The odds are slim that anyone will encounter this five-star review in the vast ocean of existing appreciation for this delightful book and its author. If, perchance, a live person actually reads this review, please let me know with a "helpful" vote."
"With the the portability and ease of reading electronically I am reliving the stories of Clare and Jamie and Brianna and Roger et al again. Diana delivers the emotion, sights, sounds, smells, triumphs and failures with her words. She always finds alliterative and clever phrasing to bring everything alive - whether it is a trip across the sea or a dangerous encounter or mundane every tasks or Clare and Jamie enjoying the delights of each other intimately."
"I’ve this huge smile on my face anytime I think of Diana Gabaldon's The Outlander. It made all the Scottish expressions that I had to look up and various words I’d had to highlight for its definition all SO WORTH IT! I love how strong he is and how brave he was through all of the crosses he’d already bore and even braver knowing what is to come ahead. As strong and roguish as he was, there was such a vulnerability to him and c’mon ladies, you know this just drives us wild. A man that could take out a number of other men on his own but still manage to hold on to his sensitive side. I know that both Jamie and Claire have hard times ahead of them and I’m OK with that, even excited about what adventures lay ahead of them with the condition that they continue to slay bad guys together and remain the Jamie and Claire that I’ve just so madly fallen in love with."
Best Guterson, David
Above all, San Piedro is haunted by the memory of what happened to its Japanese residents during World War II, when an entire community was sent into exile while its neighbours watched. Fighting the distrust and prejudice of his neighbors on a remote island in Puget Sound, a Japanese-American man who spent time in an internment camp during World War II, finds himself on trial for murder.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS when it was first published years ago and it left such a positive impression that I decided to re-read it recently."
"We see how WW II threw this community with both European and Japanese Americans into a tailspin and with unresolved conflict and issues still simmering under the surface."
"It's still a great read."
"I really enjoyed this book. There were several layers to it , atmosphere and beautiful descriptions of life on the Island of Dan Piedro, romance, history,war, a 'murder' trial, racism and extreme prejudice and above all very believable and realistic characters."
"Kind of lesson that racism is everywhere whether it's blatantly obvious or not displayed directly but practiced nonetheless."
"I couldn't put this book down."
"This book is a mystery, a love story, and a story of prejudice and how the heart can harden against people who come from a different background."
Best Gibson, William
William Gibson returns with his first novel since 2010’s New York Times –bestselling Zero History . Fortunately, Burton has his veteran’s benefits, for neural damage he suffered from implants during his time in the USMC’s elite Haptic Recon force. “Spectacular, a piece of trenchant, far-future speculation that features all the eyeball kicks of Neuromancer and all the maturity and sly wit of Spook Country .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Gibson does flashy technodystopia and this is his best in some time [which given the high quality of the worst of his writing should be a sign]. A wonderful melange of time travel, printed matter, nano tech, declining Atlantic civilization, kleptocracy, postmodern art and ever so much more."
"There are still those sudden, dazzling meditations here and there for which Gibson is justifiably known, and the novel as a whole would be reasonably good airplane reading fare, but you will not find the world-wrenching spell cast in earlier Gibson books."
"As in all his work, Gibson has a most insightful view of current societal and technical realities that are barely perceptible to this reader, until his stories illuminate them."
"This is a stand-alone story that links none of the characters from previous books and introduces a a cast of new characters that will hopefully show up in future stories."
"I've stopped trying to second guess where the complex ride he takes you on will end."
"I loved the story, loved the character development, the ethos...it was interesting in multiple ways."
"The Peripheral, however, is more of a return to his Neuromancer days that made Gibson famous in the first place and got him designated as the “father of Cyberpunk.” None of that matters to me, however. What absolute fun and delight it is, being led out of that confusion by this master writer in his own good time and at his own brilliant pace! The interplay of these worlds and the core of the story: a noir-like murder mystery constitute the primary elements of the book. I will again say, that I am glad that I have a Kindle to read Gibson on because his combination of vocabulary and overwhelming wealth of trivia is almost unbelievable in its complexity at times."
Best Grafton, Sue
Private investigator Kinsey Millhone confronts her darkest and most disturbing case in this #1 New York Times bestseller from Sue Grafton. Moody, unrepentant, and angry, he is a virtual prisoner of his ever-watchful parents—until a copy of the missing tape arrives with a ransom demand. Y Is For Yesterday might make you wish the alphabet had a few more letters.”— Tampa Bay Times-Review More Praise for Sue Grafton and the Alphabet Series “Grafton’s endless resourcefulness in varying her pitches in this landmark series, graced by her trademark self-deprecating humor, is one of the seven wonders of the genre.”— Kirkus Reviews.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"*. It's hard for me to rate this book because I've been one of fictional Kinsey Millhone's fans since 1982. 1) It is not " true" to the other books in the series because this book has chapters of graphic sexual violence. 2) Kinsey can't " remember" to take her gun with her even though a psychopath from an earlier book is clearly stalking her fearlessly. Earlier books in the series did have some shooting in them, so I am not sure if this is the author's anti- gun statement built into the book, or a possible pro- gun statement since not having a weapon was bound to happen and put Kinsey in the climatic dangerous situation with a madman, or if the equally successful " Stephanie Plum" series gave Ms. Grafton the " oops, left that new gun at home" idea to the author. When we are reading in the " present time" of 1989, Kinsey could somehow determine that copies of the prurient video were or could have been made using hand held video cameras and a projector, while hand held video cameras of the type being described in the book didn't yet exist. 4) Another factoid in this book which didn't seem true to Henry and Kinsey's shared green space and Henry's gardening at all was the very frequent reminders that Henry, who is quite a dapper gentleman ( lest we forget we are reminded a few times in every single book with just those words, instead of his actions speaking for his poise and manners), completely abandons his beloved lawn. Both Henry and Kinsey didn't love the important things in their lives in this one book. I didn't feel that Kinsey, Henry, their friends, or the town of Saint Theresa were at all enhanced by the P. I. work that fell into Kinsey's lap in this book. I'm glad I read it, as I am a completist about books in a series, but this 35 year relationship with Kinsey isn't really going in the ways I had hoped. Down through the years, there have been glimpses of Kinsey getting at least one fun friend in her age group, a nice guy or two taking her out, even a decent car in some of the books. I also learned that she never allowed any ghostwriting in her manuscripts, so there will not be a posthumus book featuring Kinsey but authored by someone else."
"I have long been a Sue Grafton fan and have read all of the books in the Kinsey Millhone series. The subject matter is indeed dark and disturbing, involving an amateur porno tape and a high school murder. I do admit that the ending of Y Is for Yesterday is, for the most part, satisfying, so that gives me reason for hope that Grafton will wrap up the series in style."
"Kinsey, in 1989, references found footage, hand held type movies which weren't around yet and molded plastic lawn chairs before they were in use. I have loved Grafton for years, and continue to do so, as this book was an anomaly, and Kinsey's personality was still fairly vivid, but honestly -- if it had been any other author."
"The flashback chapters added nothing and I was particularly unhappy that Sue Grafton chose to repeat over and over the graphic content of a tape of sexual abuse. Every time a new person views the tape it gets described, in addition to detailing the actual event in the flashback chapters."
Best Garwood, Julie
#1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood takes listeners from New Orleans' exclusive Garden District to the backwoods of Louisiana's mysterious bayou country in an unforgettable novel of passion and suspense that cuts straight to the heart. Julie Garwood is among the most critically acclaimed ― and popular ― romance authors around, with thirty-six million copies of her books in print.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a beautiful full length novel of one such marriage, except the way the H/h come together has many obstacles to their HEA. However, little did he know that his 2nd wife would not only open up the flood gates but trigger the return of a killer that nobody suspected was among the clan until attempts start to be made on the heroine. So as you can imagine heroine has to heal the clan from the loss of hero's first wife and overcome the hatred many have because she is 'English'. Her skills, talents, love, and pure soul are tools she uses well to heal both spiritually and physically. The best part of the story is the love that forms between the hero and heroine. From the second he meets her until the beautiful ending their love blazes strong and continues to grow."
"This book had everything that I enjoy in a romance novel. ✔ Possessive alpha male. ✔ Bad Ass Heroine. ✔ Solid storyline with low angst. ✔ Funny as hell. I loved Alec. He was a Scottish Laird who has married Jamie who is an English girl out of duty to his King. He really did not care to have a wife and he has a strong dislike of the English in general. I have no idea how, but this author made me fall in love with this man! You start to realize that there is an underlying softness in him that Jamie seems to bring out of him. He made it clear he would kill any man that looked at Jamie in an inappropriate way. This of course created a lot of arguments with Alec who wanted his wife submissive. Jamie also had a lot of skills that women were not supposed to have."
"Alec and Jamie were forced by their kings to marry, and neither Alec nor Jamie was happy about it."
"I almost didn't purchase this book due to a negative comment about repetition, and I am so glad I let my own pleasure and enjoyment I've received from Julie Garwood's other awesome books to take precedence."
"Jamie is a first, stubborn English woman who will soon have half the Scottish Highlands ready to declare war."
Best Gray, John
The most well-know, long-lived, and tried-and-tested relationships guide ever, the phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus is now available for the first time ever as an audio book. Using this metaphor to illustrate the commonly occurring conflicts between men and women, Dr. John Gray explains how these differences can come between the sexes and prohibit mutually fulfilling, loving relationships.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"On one hand, it articulates a good framework for the gender generalities that I've observed and for the most part, the author takes care not to paint with a broad brush. On the other hand, I definitely felt that much of his advice was very heavily slanted in the man's favor, at significant risk of turning the woman into a doormat. If someone resisted doing those last two things, especially on a regular basis, I would seriously question his/her priorities, as well as their suitability as a partner and parent."
"I finally decided to buy it and read it in the hopes of learning more about the differences between men and women."
"I read this several years ago."
"This book caught my attention because I was studying body language and wanted more information about the differences in this area between men and women."
"Only gotten thru the first couple chapters but so far so good!"
"This book helped me and my boyfriend avoid some fights."
"All people, who are going to get married,need to read this book."
"This is the original best-seller, all meat and potatoes."
Best Grisham, John
Now we return to that famous courthouse in Clanton as Jake Brigance once again finds himself embroiled in a fiercely controversial trial-a trial that will expose old racial tensions and force Ford County to confront its tortured history. It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County's most notorious citizens, just three years earlier. Here, in his most assured and thrilling novel yet, is a powerful testament to the fact that Grisham remains the master of the legal thriller, nearly twenty-five years after the publication of A Time to Kill . "John Grisham is about as good a storyteller as we've got in the United States these days." "John Grisham is exceptionally good at what he does—indeed, right now in this country, nobody does it better."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have always loved John Grisham's books. I have been disappointed in the last few Grisham books."
"Will be reading another of his books shortly since it helps pass the time on the exercycle."
"That said, Sycamore Row is fine escape reading with a plot that moves along at a nice clip."
"The day after the hanging Jake, who had never met Seth, receives a concise hand-written letter from him along with an equally concise hand-written holographic will that bequeaths 90% of his surprisingly large (to everyone who knew him) estate to Lettie, his attentive black house keeper of three years and end of life care giver. The trial predictably takes many twists and turns and the over-riding question in the minds of all concerned is why would an uncommonly wealthy white man leave most of his fortune to a black maid whom he had known only a few years, totally neglecting his direct descendants in the process."
"At the beginning a man writes his own will, leaves a letter to our favorite attorney (who has never met him), goes to church as if nothing is wrong, then hangs himself."
"Grisham puts a lot of details into the book that aren’t needed, but they give you more of a feeling that you are an eye witness to everything that happens. You could say that the ending is a little sappy, and a little predictable, but it is satisfying and the way it plays out is pretty clever. There is speculation that Seth Hubbard and his black housekeeper were intimate, but no steamy scenes."
Best Goodkind, Terry
The fifth audio volume of the Wheel of Time series is now available in unabridged format on CD In this sequel to the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Shadow Rising , Robert Jordan again plunges us into his extraordinarily rich, totally unforgettable world: ...Into the forbidden city of Rhuidean, where Rand al'Thor, now the Dragon Reborn, must conceal his present endeavor from all about him, even Egwene and Moiraine. Robert Jordan was born in 1948 in Charleston, South Carolina. Kate Reading is the recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards and has been named by AudioFile magazine as a "Voice of the Century," as well as the Best Voice in Science Fiction & Fantasy in 2008 and 2009.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Drawing knowledge from many different disciplines he's able to create vivid and interesting characters, strong female protagonists (like no other novel possibly), and keep on supplying interesting characters back to back."
"It is book 5 of, I think 13. I almost stopped at this volume because 2 of my favorite characters died, but decided to continue because the general story (which seems to me to be only one third of the book, if that much) is interesting, as are the main characters."
"The first time I read the wheel of Time series, I thought it was ok, and didn't make it all the way through."
"THE ENITIRE SERIES IS SO AMAZING IVE READ THEM ALL SO MANY TIMES IVE HAD TO REBUY THEM OVER AND OVER....til i got my kindle ;)."
"There's less naivety at the end of this one than the others."
"In case it helps any viewers I will list a couple series I have read in the past and also enjoyed: Lord of the Rings, Inheritance, (Eragon books). Recluce Saga by L.E."
"A wonderful series to read."
"I recently purchased all 14 books of the Wheel Of Time in audiobook format, all read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer (which was published by Macmillan Audio and Audio Renaissance)."
Best Griffin, W. E. B.
Army records show that the only officer named Fertig in the Philippines is a reserve lieutenant colonel of the Corps of Engineers, reported MIA on Luzon. Here, he uses guerrilla action behind the lines in the Philippines as foreground to tell the behind-the-lines tale of the power struggle among Marine General Fleming Pickering, General Douglas MacArthur and Bill Donovan of the fledgling OSS, all of whom are galvanized into action by a radio message from a self-proclaimed general named Wendell Fertig, who has established himself as a guerrilla leader against the Japanese.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Marine Corps series has maintained the level of character and story lines all along the series."
"The powers that be understand that OSS is the logical choice to assist after General Pickering determines that their are in fact elements of a guerilla force on Mindingo, but MacArthur is adament about refusing to cooperate with Donovan-enter the forces of Pickering as the go-between, assisted by McCoy, Col Stecker, Koffler and Macklin- Macklin!?"
"In this one we are fully introduced to Brigadier General Wendel Fertig, an authentic American hero who single-handedly and with remarkable (and uniquely American) initiative, creates a 30,000 man force in the Philippines to fight the occupying Japanese."
"Pick Pickering is described in a previous book as shooting down 8 enemy planes at Guadalcanal, but in this book it is just 6."
"after reading most of the other books in the series."
"Another W.E.B Griffin winner before his son co-authors with him."
"WEB Griffin as always is a great read."
"The Corps series isn't all that bad a read, once you get beyond all the inconsistencies Griffin makes in the story line from previous novels."