Book Reviews for the Average Joe - Recently Updated Pages

Inkdeath

Meekalee — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:25:32 CST

The Adderhead--his immortality bound in a book by Meggie's father, Mo--has ordered his henchmen to plunder the villages. The peasants' only defense is a band of outlaws led by the Bluejay--Mo's fictitious double, whose identity he has reluctantly adopted. But the Book of Immortality is unraveling, and the Adderhead again fears the White Women of Death. To bring the renegade Bluejay back to repair the book, the Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, dooming them to slavery in his silver mines unless Mo surrends. First Dustfinger, now Mo: Can anyone save this cursed story?

Meeka says:
A wonderful ending to the series, that kept me on my toes the entire time waiting to see how it would all turn out. An excellent adventure for kids of all ages!

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Recently Reviewed

Meekalee — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:24:18 CST

February

The Time Thief
Book 2
Pre-Teen Fiction
by Linda Buckley-Archer

Inkdeath
Book 3
Teen Fiction
by Cornelia Funke

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1945

Meekalee — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:24:03 CST

THIS BOOK BEING REVIEWED

America has dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
But Japan has only begun to fight. . . .
In 1945, history has reached a turning point. A terrible new weapon has been unleashed. Japan has no choice but to surrender. But instead, the unthinkable occurs. With their nation burned and shattered, Japanese fanatics set in motion a horrifying endgame–their aim: to take America down with them.
Emperor Hirohito’s capitulation is hijacked by extremists and a weary United States is forced to invade Japan as a last step in a war that has already cost so many lives. As the Japanese lash out with tactics that no one has ever faced before–from POWs used as human shields to a rain of kamikaze attacks that take out the highest-value target in the Pacific command–the invasion’s success is suddenly in doubt. As America’s streets erupt in rioting, history will turn on the acts of a few key players from the fiery front lines to the halls of Washington to the shadowy realm of espionage, while a mortally wounded enemy becomes the greatest danger of all.

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Meekalee — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:23:48 CST

1945
Adult Fiction
by Robert Conroy

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Adult Fiction

Meekalee — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:23:19 CST

Sanctum
by Denise Mina

More than It Hurts You
by Darin Strauss

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
by Lisa See

Friends in High Places
Book 8
by Donna Leon

The Queen's Lady
by Barbara Kyle

Gone With the Windsors
by Laurie Graham

The Other Queen
by Philippa Gregory

All She Was Worth
by Miyuki Miyabe

A Snowball in Hell
by Christopher Brookmyer

Orpheus Rising
by Bateman

The Jewel of Medina
by Sherry Jones

The Scream
by Rohinston Mistry

One Summer
by Rachel Billington

Chronicler of the Winds
by Henning Mankell

Emperor: The Field of Swords
Book 3
by Conn Iggulden

Emperor: The Gods of War
Book 4
By Conn Iggulden

One for the Money
Book 1
by Janet Evanovich

The Last Concubine
by Lesley Downer

Mistress of the Sun
by Sandra Gulland

East of the Sun
by Julia Gregson

Bones of the Hills
Book 3
by Conn Iggulden

The Other
by David Guterson

Real World
by Natsuo Kirino

Shadow Family
by Miyuki Miyabe

The Devil's Whisper
by Miyuki Miyabe

The Last Cavalier
by Alexander Dumas

The Murder Stone
Book 4
by Louise Penny

The Given Day
by Dennis Lehane

Adult Fiction	Teen Fiction	Pre-Teen Fiction
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Teen Fiction

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:31:44 CST

The Dragon Heir
Book 3
by Cinda Willams Chima

Leven Thumps & The Eyes of Want
Book 3
by Obert Skye

Possession
Book 3
by Chris Humphreys

Leven Thumps & The Wrath of Ezra
Book 4
by Obert Skye

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The Time Thief

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:31:19 CST

At the end of “The Time Travelers” Kate and Peter managed to recover their time machine but that didn't solve all their problems. An unfortunate series of events resulted in Peter being left behind in the eighteenth century. Even more unfortunately, a desperate criminal known as the Tar Man took Peter's place.

“The Time Thief” traces two parallel tracks. On the one hand it shows the modern day escapades of the Tar Man. Chased by police and confused by new technology the Tar Man isn't sure at first whether he likes the future. But soon he discovers how the ultimate scheme to steal and take advantage of his status as a time traveler. With the Tar Man wreaking havoc in modern day London, there is danger everywhere.

Meanwhile Kate has stolen a time machine and made her way back to the eighteenth century. She is determined to rescue Peter and bring him back to the present. But time travel is having disastrous effects on Kate, and possibly on Time itself...

Meeka says:
WOW, what a ride! This was so much better than the first in the series, that I couldn't read it fast enough. This just kept you hanging on to see what would happen next. I can't wait for the third in the series to come out!

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Book Reviews for the Average Joe

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:28:54 CST

Pick of the Month for January 2009

The Tenth Gift
Adult Fiction
by Jane Johnson

Pick of the Year for 2008

Gods Behaving Badly
Adult Fiction
by Marie Phillips

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To be Reviewed

Book Reviews

Or use the search engine located to your left to enter in authors or books to see if I have reviewed them

I have created this website for anyone who loves books as much as I do and who wants someplace to find a quick simple book review with the bottom line in plain English.

See what books I will be reviewing and if there is any book you would like me to review, please let me know. I have also added a recently reviewed page, so you can see them easily without going through all the books.

Not everyone is going to enjoy everything I review and some will enjoy what I have not. I always try to keep an open mind when reading a book so that I can relish the experience, but every once in awhile, it just doesn't happen. C'est la vie.
I'd like to hear from you, any comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc are appreciated and encouraged.

Have a fantastic read!

January 2009

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:28:28 CST

Goblins
Pre-Teen / Teen Fiction
by Royce Buckingham

The Chronicles of Blarnia
Pre-Teen Fiction
by Michael Gerber

The King Arthur Trilogy
Teen Fiction
by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Tenth Gift
Adult Fiction
by Jane Johnson

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Mr Darcy Takes a Wife
Adult Fiction
by Linda Berdoll

The Japense Wife and other Stories
Adult Fiction
by Kunal Basu

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The Tenth Gift

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:27:39 CST

BOOK OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY 2009

On a Sunday morning in July 1625, Barbary pirates sail into a quiet Cornish bay and storm the church.
Their loot: sixty men, women and children, kidnapped and bound for northern Morocco, where they are to be sold in the thronging slave market of the Souq el Ghezel.
Amongst them is Catherine Anne Tregenna, a talented young embroiderer.
But as her diary reveals, Cat is anything but the subservient and compliant slave that her captors were expecting - and as the coast of England fades from sight, adventure beckons in the East ..."
In an exclusive London restaurant, a gift is given that will change Julia Lovat's life.
The antique book of Jacobean embroidery delights her, but when she settles down to read it more closely, she unexpectedly discovers within its foxed and faded pages the extraordinary diary of a young Cornish girl, calling to her from across the centuries...

Meeka says:
A story seeped in history, adventure and love. A wonderful tale, that I couldn't put down as it was so captivating to read and be transported back in time. It all came alive in the book. This is a sit down and enjoy yourself book.

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December 2008

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:25:52 CST

The Magician - The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
Book 2
Teen Fiction
by Michael Scott

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Brisingr
Book 3
Teen Fiction
by Christopher Paolini

The Battle of the Labyrinth
Book 4
Pre-Teen / Teen Fiction
by Rick Riordan

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Graphic Novel
Pre-Teen / Teen Fiction
by F. Scott Fitzgerald

You Know Where to Find Me
by Rachel Cohn

Bruno, Chief of Police
Adult Fiction - Mystery
by Martin Walker

Dance Dance Dance
Adult Fiction
by Haruki Murakami

The Broken Shore
Adult Fiction - Mystery
by Peter Temple

Valfierno
Adult Fiction
by Martin Caparros

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The Magician

Meekalee — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:25:07 CST

Book of the Month for December 2008

After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenell is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is teeming with enemies. Nicollo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He’s after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenell. For every day spent without the Book of Abraham the Mage, they age one year—their magic becoming weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophesy is becoming more and more clear.
It’s time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic: Fire Magic. And there’s only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel’s old student, the Comte de Saint-Germain—alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world’s only hope—if they don’t turn on each other first.

Meeka says:
As with the first book in the series, this one took a little time to gather speed, but once it did, it flew to the end and left you breathless for more. Hopefully we won't have to wait as long for the next one in the series as this is just too good.

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The Japenese Wife and other stories

Meekalee — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:44:55 CST

An Indian man writes to a Japanese woman. She writes back. The pen-friends fall in love and exchange their vows over letters, then live as man and wife without ever setting eyes on each other – their intimacy of words tested finally by life's miraculous upheavals.
The 12 stories in this collection are about the unexpected. An American professor visits India with the purpose of committing suicide, and goes on a desert journey with the daughter of a snakecharmer. A honeymooning Indian couple is caught up in the Tiananmen Square unrest. A Russian prostitute discovers her roots in the company of Calcutta revolutionaries. A holocaust victim stands tall among strangers in a landscape of hate.
These are chronicles of memory and dreams born at the crossroads of civilizations. They parade a cast of angels and demons rubbing shoulders with those whose lives are never quite as ordinary as they seem.

Meeka says:
Some of these short stories were heart wrenching to read and others I couldn't get through them fast enough as they were so boring and dull. So a mixture of the great and the dull, but mostly worth the read. Any story you don't like you can simply flip past and start on the next one.

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Pre-Teen Fiction

Meekalee — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:42:09 CST

Story Time
by Edward Bloor

The Ring of O'Bells Mystery
by Enid Blyton

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Authors K

Meekalee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:29:42 CST

Kalush & Sloman
Panos Karnezis
John Katzenbach
Joanna Kavenna
Susanna Kearsley
Holly Kennedy
Daniel Keyes
Yashmina Khadra
Sue Monk Kidd
Cassandra King
Stephen King
Barbara Kingsolver
Sophie Kinsella
Natsuo Kirino
Julie Klam
David Kitz
Roger Knight
Jacqueline Kolosov
Barbara Kyle

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Barbara Kyle

Meekalee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:28:13 CST

Canadian Author

Biography

Books

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Biography of Barbara Kyle

Meekalee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:25:54 CST

Barbara Kyle grew up near Toronto and attended the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal and the University of Washington. Her novel BEYOND RECALL (written under pen name ‘Stephen Kyle’) was a Literary Guild Selection. THE EXPERIMENT (also under 'Stephen Kyle') was praised by Publishers Weekly as a “haunting thriller." Her most recent novel is THE QUEEN’S LADY, set in Tudor England.
Barbara teaches "Writing the Popular Novel," a course she developed, for the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies where she was nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award. She teaches her "Fiction Writer's Boot Camp" at the Haliburton School of The Arts and has presented workshops for many writers’ organizations. Her popular "Writing Fiction That Sells" workshops are available as a DVD series. For info see www.BarbaraKyle.com.
Barbara welcomes everyone to her blog "The Writing Life: Let's Talk" at www.barbarakyle.typepad.com.
Before becoming an author, Barbara enjoyed a twenty-year acting career in television, film, and theatre in Canada and the U.S.

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Books of Barbara Kyle

Meekalee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:23:23 CST

The Queen's Lady
Adult Fiction - Historical

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The Queen's Lady

Meekalee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:22:37 CST

THIS BOOK TO BE REVIEWED

Set in the nerve-jangled court of King Henry VIII during his battle with the Catholic church for a divorce, THE QUEEN’S LADY is the story of Honor Larke, a ward of King Henry’s chancellor, Sir Thomas More, and lady-in-waiting to Henry’s first wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon. Forced to take sides in the religious extremism of the day, Honor fights to save the church’s victims from death at the stake, enlisting Richard Thornleigh, a rogue sea captain, in her missions of mercy, and finally risking her life to try to save Sir Thomas from the wrath of the king.

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King Arthur Trilogy

Meekalee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:13:21 CST

Tells of Arthur's birth, how he became King, the formation of the Fellowship of the Round Table, and the adventures of its most celebrated knights. The adventures of knights, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival, as they search for the Holy Grail. The evil Mordred, plotting against his father King Arthur, implicates the Queen and Sir Lancelot in treachery and brings about the downfall of Camelot and the Round Table.

Meeka says:
This was written exactly like an old time fairy tale. Which in small doses is not a bad thing, however trying to read this in all one sitting was like pulling teeth, horrible and cruel. So instead, may I suggest, small doses and you will enjoy it more; nevertheless, the story does not flow as smoothly as it could, and if you are thinking about the movie "The Sword in the Stone" or "First Knight" don't as they are not the same in anyway or shape.

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