The Wynette Texas Series - Susan Elizabeth Philips

One Sentence Summary:

Various members of the town of Wynette find love. 

Review:

If there is one thing we can count on Susan Elizabeth Philips for it is great stories that you can read in an afternoon and that make you smile. Her writing style is very easy to read and flows really well through your brain. Her characters are all well developed and you love them or you love to hate them, it takes a good author to create characters you hate but have you finish reading her books despite them. This series spans 30 years and Phillips does a good job of transitioning through the technologies that exist in the different times. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading entertaining romance stories. 

6/10

If you enjoyed this series check out:
Helen Fielding
Cecelia Ahrens
Jennifer Weirner

The Magdalene Line Trilogy - Kathleen McGowan

One sentence summary:

Maureen Pascal is destined to solve the mystery of Jesus' written gospel. 

review:

I have only read the first two books in this series - also I am an atheist and as such do not care if Jesus is made human and had a wife and children etc. 

I enjoyed reading these, a great adventure with a good deal of history thrown in. I understand that some Christians took offence to the humanizing of Jesus, the idea he had a family etc seems to have hurt their morals, I do not have this qualm and enjoyed the process McGowan took of making the man out of the myth. Her writing style is fast paced and her characters (both present and past) are really well thought out and horribly flawed. I really liked that all of the characters were self serving and there was much betrayal, to me it made the whole thing take on a more realistic tone. I am looking forward to reading the third installment in this series. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story and isn't a holier than thou christian. 

6/10

if you enjoyed this consider checking out:
Will Adams
Kate Moss
Tom Knox
Jennifer Lee Carroll

The Axis Trilogy - Sara Douglass

One Sentence Summary:

Two children are born on the same day, one destined to be the destroyer the other to be the savior of his people. 

Review:

This is a wonderful epic fantasy series, this is the first trilogy in the series. Douglass created a fantastical land where deceit and treason lay around every corner, where traveling is taking your life into your hands and where love is the strongest force of all. I really enjoyed the way she wrote romance into the series, most often in the fantasy genre you either end up with smutty love or with any relationships being glossed over but Douglass managed to create loving relationships that are hinged on emotion and detailed in the interaction between the characters (which is more than rutting and groaning). The strongest story is by far Enchanter (even Douglass admits it is her favorite in the series) but that does not take away from the build up in Battleaxe or the conclusions in Starman, in fact it makes all three books into a compelling arch. Faraday is by far the most interesting character in the novels and I recommend anyone who thinks they might enjoy fantasy novels give these ones a try. 

8/10

if you enjoyed this series read:

George R R Martin

Patrick Rothfuss

Terry Goodkind

The Secret River - Kate Grenville

One Sentence Summary:
A convict is sent to Australia with his wife and given a second chance at life.
Review:
This is a beautiful look at the early nineteenth century in Australia  The story starts in 1806 in England and follows a bargeman as he gets arrested and then sent to the colony with his family. I really loved the writing style. It is a well researched book and I was amazed at how little I knew about the conquest of Australia. I find it amazing that a person could literally go from rags to riches and still maintain their humility. Grenville did a wonderful job of character development. I could easily relate to every emotion the main characters felt from joy to trepidation. This made me want to read more about the history of Australia. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good story with good characters and/or is curious about the era/region.
8/10

If you enjoyed this check out:
Tracy Chevalier
Ken Follett
Colleen McCullough
The Outlander Series - Gabaldon

The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy - Anne Rice (as A. N. Roquelaure)

One Sentence Summary:

what if prince charming was not charming at all, instead was a sadistic soulless man who awoke the sleeping beauty by violently raping her virgin body.

Review:

if that one sentence summary did not sound like something you would enjoy reading do not read this series (or this review) this trilogy is all about violence and humiliation. Think of the rape scene in A Clockwork Orange, multiply it by ten and have it last three whole books. These books are not for the light of heart. I do not recommend them to anyone who isn't heavily into bdsm and that whole pain is pleasure idea. They are rather dark and twisted versions of erotica. The writing and descriptive power is amazing though. I am not sure how Anne Rice managed to write many of the scenes with out crying. The characters are all really well written and you will probably hate them all, but remember they are all a product of the culture they were born into. I only would recommend this to someone really into the dom/sub sex scene. 

6/10

if you enjoyed this check out:

Erotic Bedtime Stories (yes, this is a subgenre)

Weezie & Bebe Mysteries - Mary Kay Andrews

One sentence summary:

Can you still find love after you have varicose veins? 

review:

Mary Kay Andrews says yes, yes you can! These are all great stories about two very strong women who happen to be best friends. All of these novels are written at the same quality (good) and in the same style (flowing, witty, laugh out loud funny) perfect for a day at the beach or cuddled up in front of the fire. All of the characters are interesting and make you kinda want to be their friends. The setting is really well done, right down to the streets they drive on. And the plot is fast paced with a happy ending (well, 4 happy endings, one for each book). I recommend this to someone looking for a mindless read. 

7/10

If you enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews be sure to check out:

Fannie Flagg

Jennifer Cruise 

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Imriel's Trilogy - Jacqueline Carey

one sentence summary:
Imriel is the biological son of the most despised people in the kingdom, his adoptive parents however, are  real life legends.
Review:
Carey has done it again, we are returned to the land of Terre d'Ange where we follow the life of Phèdre's adoptive son Imriel as he struggles to make the right choices in his life. The plot is a bit twisted from time to time and full of drama and decisions that will make you want to smack Imriel upside the head. Despite that Carey has created such charisma in her characters you can't help but be impressed. Carey further expands the world of Terre d'Ange in this series and she keeps up her high standards of description. I recommend this trilogy to anyone who enjoyed the first one (this trilogy has much less sex in it though).
8/10

If you enjoyed this read:
other work by Carey
Sarah Douglass
Dianna Galbaldon

Phèdre's Trilogy - Jacqueline Carey

One Sentence Summary:
In the land of Terre d'Ange Phèdre nó Delaunay has a destiny to fulfill... a violent and sexy destiny.
Review:
In a well written and insightful way Carey tells the story of Phèdre who is sold into slavery at a young age, she is being trained to be a sex slave when she is bought by a well to do man that takes the training she has had and builds on it to create a spy. As Phèdre grows up and as a plant in the noble class she ends up being privy to some of her nations greatest secrets and using this knowledge frees herself and goes on many adventures. The world Carey has created is amazing in its detail and the cultures of the people are very well thought out (and researched using earth history). I recommend this trilogy to anyone who enjoys fantasy / historical fiction / and doesn't mind a bit of smut (or alternately someone who likes smut and doesn't mind a bit of fantasy and historical fiction).

8/10

10/10

If you enjoyed this check out:
Jacqueline Carey's other work
Sarah Douglass (especially the Wayfarer series)
Maria V Snyder
George R R Martin

Schindler's List - Thomas Keneally

one sentence summary:
one man takes a stand against the Nazi's genocide.
review:
You will often find this listed on "the movie was better than the book" lists, this is not because the book isn't good but because the movie was so great. Do not let that deter you from reading the book, also don't let having seen the movie make you not read the book, they are not the same thing. The book is eloquent and factual with no (or at least no obvious embellishments), it brings depth and detail to the story that the movie could not. I recommend everyone who is interested in history at all read this, however it is not an easy read and it is rather emotionally tiring so read it in small bouts is my advice.
8/10

memorable quotes:
"Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."

"Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don't"

"The principle was, death should not be entered like some snug harbor. It should be an unambiguous refusal to surrender."

If you enjoyed this check out these other WWII stories:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Sarah's Key
The Book Thief

Earth's Childern - Jean M Auel

One sentence summary:
we follow the life of Ayla who lives far longer than the reader thinks possible
Review:
I read the first book in this series as a teenager and I loved it. There is no way for Auel to know what life was like for the people in the era she is writing about, even fossil records only give us theories and guesses, but despite this she creates a believable world with fascinating characters and culture. I read the second book when I was an adult and it didn't have the charm I recalled from the first but was still a worth while read, the main character in the second book is the same as in the first and this time she is alone in the world. This, I think, is what bugged me about it because there is very little chance she would have survived to be in the second book , alone during the ice age. But it was still a well written story, if not believable. The sixth book I read when there was all the hype about it's release in 2011 I was surprised (again) to find that we were still talking about the same protagonist. In this (hopefully) final installment the writing was repetitive and almost as though the reader was being talked fown too. It was as though Auel was not thrilled to be writing the book and was just doing it for the money. So, sadly this is not a series that gets better over time. I recommend it only if you really really think you want to read it for some reason.
Disclaimer; I have read books 1,2 and 6 - for some reason I skipped 3,4 and 5 I will eventually read them and add a bit about them.
5/10

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

one sentence summary:
Sold as a child we follow Sayuri as she trains to be a geisha.
review
This novel broke many misconceptions I had about geishas and about Japanese culture in general. The prose are beautifully written and it is a detailed work of historical fiction (which we all know I enjoy). The characters are all well developed though often I found my self siding with the antagonist rather than with the protagonist and I am not sure if that was intentional or just me. This is an easy read for a work of historical fiction and as such I would recommend it for someone curious about Japanese history that doesn't want a heavy read (keeping in mind it is FICTION).
7/10

if you enjoyed this I recommend:
Lisa See
Amy Tan
Tracy Chevalier

House of Night Series - P. C. Cast

one sentence summary:
In a world where it is an honour to be made into a vampire Zoe is not your typical 16 year old.
review:
After I read the first book I hoped the second would be better but it wasn't, so I read the third one thinking it must get better, I was wrong. I read the fourth one out of loyalty as I do really love P C Cast but I can not read any more of this series.  That said I am not the target demographic and this is at about the same level as Twilight, it does also have a must more interesting story line which is a plus. I recommend this to anyone who likes Twilight but only if that person also does not have a preference for good writing.
Disclaimer: I have only read the first 4 books in this series and I have no intention of reading any more of them ever.
3/10

if you enjoyed this read:
The Twilight Series
Soul Screamers Series

The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare

One sentence summary
Clary Fraye was raised thinking she was a mundane but she is a shadow hunter with a steep learning curve ahead of her.
review
One of the teenage aimed paranormal series that is worth reading. I enjoyed reading them and found all of the characters compelling. The world that Clare has created is a very interesting one and she describes it in such gritty detail that you can't help but picture it as you are reading. I enjoyed the story line, though not the most original, her characters are the main attraction and they make it worth reading. Each books has its moments of page turning frenzied action and slow parts too. I recommend this to any teenage girls who liked Twilight etc
Disclaimer: I have only read the first three books in this series but I will eventually read them all
6/10

If you enjoyed this read:
Julie Kagawa
Suzanne Collins
Veronica Roth

Catch-22 - Joseph Heller

one sentence summary:
I cheated with this one... from the back cover "a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes the necessary formal request to be relieved of such missions, the very act of making the request proves that he is sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved."
review:
This is a classic of American Literature that I agree deserves to be called a classic. It is witty and looks at some hard hitting realities while still making us laugh (and then feel bad for it). I really makes us feel the insanity of war, or at least tries to with some success. The writing style is unique and engaging, you will never forget the feelings it left you with. The characters are all really well written and their stories are ones you want to know more about. I recommend anyone who likes compelling stories written in a memorable way.
8/10

memorable quotes:

"He was going to live forever, or die in the attempt." 

"Insanity is contagious." 

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you" 

"The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them." 

"[They] agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything." 

read this next:

John Dies At The End - David Wong

The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster

one sentence summary:
a boy goes on a life changing journey
review:
somehow I made it to 28 years old with out having read this wonderful story. I highly recommend any middle schooler who has not read it read it now, anyone younger go find someone to read it with you (it has some pretty big words for little people to sound out). It is a wonderful never ending play on words as Milo travels through a hilariously described land, the Kingdom of wisdom with his friend Tock the watch dog and Humbug. They run into a whole bunch of interesting characters such as; the spelling bee, the princesses rhyme and reason,  King Azaz and the Mathmagician. The illustrations are awesome too, it is all together a perfect book to expand the vocabulary of any child (and also teach a few life lessons along the way).
6/10
10/10 elementary/middle school

Memorable quotes (the whole book is made of pretty memorably quotes so I advise you read it):
"Expect everything, I always say, and the unexpected never happens."

"The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that."

"The only thing you can do easily is be wrong, and that's hardly worth the effort"

"Whether or not you find your own way, you're bound to find some way. If you happen to find my way, please return it, as it was lost years ago. I imagine by now it's quite rusty."

If you enjoyed this read books by:
Roald Dahl
Beverly Cleary
Natalie Babbitt
Judy Blume (also writes grown-up books do not confuse the two)

The Eight - Katherine Neville

One Sentence Summary:
The story of a chess set.
Review:
This is another book I wanted to like more than I actually liked it, but I did like it. Neville writes in parallel narratives  set nearly two hundred years apart, which ultimately works really well for her story line. The history Neville packed into the story was a bit rushed at times which was bothersome to me (as we all know I am rather fond of historical fiction). She did a great job of illustrating the differences in the treatment of women from 1790 versus 1970. It bothered me that toward the end both of the protagonists reverted a bit to needing men, not the greatest message to send. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys action adventure mystery type books.
6/10

if you enjoyed this I recommend checking out books by:
Dan Brown
Mathew Reilly
Julia Narvarro
Kathleen McGowan
Kate Mosse

Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh

one sentence summary:
Harriet spies on people, this gets her into trouble.
review:
This story is perfect for your pre-middle school child. It teaches the important lesson - don't write down anything you wouldn't want to say to your friends face. It is written in easily understood language but still well written, enjoyable for adults and children alike. It is very clear on the perils of eaves dropping and being two faced. I enjoyed reading this when I was a child.
8/10

Memorable quotes:
“Little lies that make people feel better are not bad, like thanking someone for a meal they made even if you hated it, or telling a sick person they look better when they don't, or someone with a hideous new hat that it's lovely. But to yourself you must tell the truth”

“[Harriet] hated math. She hated math with every bone in her body. She spent so much time hating it that she never had time to do it.”

“Don't mess with anybody on a Monday. It's a bad, bad day.”

If you enjoyed this read books by:
Roald Dahl
Beverly Cleary
Lois Lowry

The Robert Langdon Trilogy - Dan Brown

One Sentence Summary:
Robert Langdon is a Harvard Professor who is constantly trying to solve mysteries that require historical knowledge.
Review:
This is an alright series but not worth the number of weeks it spent at the number one spot. The first book is the best, they go down hill from there. The writing is sloppy, the plots are alright but so full of holes they may as well be cheese. Every scene of interaction between people is full of stereotype and the characters are all flat. The adventures are interesting but the action is either half assed or long and drawn out. There are many better books than these in the same genre but for a mindless read it isn't that bad. I recommend it to anyone who doesn't really like reading but likes stories.
5/10

If you enjoyed this series read books by:
Steve Berry
James Rollins
Matthew Reilly
Brad Metzler

The Gormenghast Trilogy - Mervyn Peake

One Sentence Summary:

What happens in the kingdom of Gormenghast when the king goes mad? 

Review:

This is a brilliant work of Gothic fantasy from an incomparable author. Peake's voice is so unique I can't think of anyone to compare it to... He is as descriptive as Tolken, as witty as Pratchett and as good of a story teller as Rothfuss. This is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination but is a really good one. Peake is a painter and that comes through in his descriptions, his painterly observant eye and imagination creates a world a pleasure to read about full of characters you have genuine feelings toward. The writing style tends to employ circular logic and fallible characters, it is great (if you enjoy British humour)! If you enjoy fantasy and haven't read this trilogy yet please add it to your to read list. If you do not like fantasy or are unsure of the genre do not start with this series as it may turn you off the genre. 

6/10

memorable quotes:
"Lingering is so very lonely when one lingers all alone." - book 1

"We are all imprisoned by the dictionary. We choose out of that vast, paper-walled prison our convicts, the little black printed words, when in truth we need fresh sounds to utter, new enfranchised noises which would produce a new effect." - book 1

"The sun sank with a sob and darkness waded in from all horizons so that the sky contracted and there was no more light left in the world, when, at this very moment of annihilation, the moon, as though she had been waiting for her cue, sailed up the night." - book 3

If you enjoyed this refer to this sentence and pick your poison:
as descriptive as Tolken, as witty as Pratchett and as good of a story teller as Rothfuss.

Side note:
check out his art and interviews at: http://www.mervynpeake.org/

The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards

one sentence summary
How many middle class suburban lives can one secret destroy?
review
I wanted to like this book way more than I actually did. I really enjoyed the writing style and the vocabulary and everything about it save for the characters. I hated them all, well I didn't "hate" them but I had issues with each and every one of them. The husband was a write off for me, one action destroyed any sympathy I may have had. The wife was terribly weak and we all know that weak characters drive me up the wall with hate. I sympathized a bit with Caroline and thought she was an all right character but something about the way she was written annoyed me a bit. The author seems to fail at mixing the characters personalities with a  dash of good and a dash of bad instead leaving them all a bit flat. I did, however, really enjoy the way the author depicted depression and hopelessness, the language she used was spot on imo, just not the characters she imprinted it all on to. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't have the same issues with me as to character weaknesses, or to people who were actually alive in 1964 to whom the premise may be more applicable (getting rid of -institutionalizing from birth- a child with downs syndrome).
5/10

memorable quotes
"You can't stop time. You can't capture light. You can only turn your face up and let it rain down." 

"Either things grow and change or they die."

"Lately, the world felt fragile, like a blown egg, as if it might shatter beneath a careless touch."

if you enjoyed this read
The Deep End of the Ocean
I Know This Much Is True
The Secret Life Of Bees
What We Keep