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."
Of the #1 New York Times bestselling Kinsey Millhone series, NPR said, “Makes me wish there were more than 26 letters.” Two dead bodies changed the course of my life that fall. A slip of paper with Millhone’s name and number was in his pants pocket. But as Kinsey digs deeper into the mystery of the John Doe, some very strange linkages begin to emerge. And before long at least one aspect is solved as Kinsey literally finds the key to his identity. It would take me another day before I understood how many imps had been freed, but for the moment, I was inordinately pleased with myself.”. In this multilayered tale, the surfaces seem clear, but the underpinnings are full of betrayals, misunderstandings, and outright murderous fraud. Wasted lives, wasted time, and wasted opportunities are at the heart of this twenty-third entry in the long-running Kinsey Millhone series, which reveals how the deaths of two very different men impact Kinsey’s life.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"our gal Kinsey finds herself in a situation where she is involved with a homeless community trying to find out what happened to a drifter. As always, once Kinsey starts picking at the loose thread all sorts of things come unraveled."
"Its rare when a character, who is 20 novels deep continues to enthrall - but Kinsey Millhone absolutely does."
"A blast from the past shows up, and an old unscrupulous PI that she knew from her startup days becomes intertwined into the family matter."
"I’ve read and loved them all."
"I find Sue Grafton books to be very interesting, because I have visited Santa Barbara many times and I recognize many of the places she writes about."
"Sue it seems is trying to get to the final letter-Z-and not take the time to really develop the story/plot that she has/did in her past books."
"The library scenes were excruciating, the list of neighbors and relatives mind-numbing, the stupid, pointless padding of every move she made was criminal. W made the bestsellers lists on promise alone, not on actuality and I am so disappointed in the blathering mess that it is."
"Come on Sue, get out of your funk, stop moralizing and bring back the Kinsey Millhone series we fell in love with years ago."
Of #1 New York Times –bestselling author Sue Grafton, NPR’s Maureen Corrigan said, “Makes me wish there were more than 26 letters.” With only two letters left, Grafton’s many devoted readers will share that sentiment. Once again breaking the rules and establishing new paths, Grafton wastes little time identifying this sociopath. “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 (starred review). More Praise for Sue Grafton and the Alphabet Series.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Private Investigator Kinsey Millhone keeps a set of blank index cards handy to make notes about people and places pertinent to the case. But I enjoyed catching up with Kinsey and the gang -- her landlord Henry, local pub owners Rosie and William, and occasional romantic interests Cheney and Dietz. Since Grafton left time behind and has kept her novels in the 1980s (and sometimes the 1960s), I have enjoyed playing Spot the Anachronism while reading her books."
"I found myself checking the dustjacket. several times to make sure that it wasn't some Chinese knockoff. And, I don't really think anyone with Kinsey's lack of fashion sense would know the names of luxury fabrics or styles--especially when it comes to clothes for men. The good news is that Henry, William, and Rosie are still kicking. One of the subplots involves Henry and even though it is reminiscent of another Kinsey book it is still good to have him included even though he is obsessed with plumbing."
"Maybe this is a style of writing today as I've now read (but did not finish, the first time ever) two other "mysteries" where literally NOTHING happened for close to 300 pages of a 450-page book. This time around, a whole mess of, to me, trivial subplots (the California drought, the issue with Henry's neighbors, which I won't reveal in case someone reading this wants to read the book or is not finished, the angry and vindictive ex-wife who put one over on Kinsey) and almost no character development or character interaction beyond really minor stuff left me wondering: What is going on here? As it is, we're left to wonder: Well, does Sue Grafton have a plan that goes way beyond what is actually on these pages...is this a very very LONG runup to something better and more engaging? One also hopes that the last two Milhone books in the series do not follow the path/style of X. X for leaving one hanging out to dry in deep disappointment."
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 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."
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 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 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 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."
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 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)."