Penelope Lively: Family Album

Allersmead is a big shabby Victorian suburban house. The perfect place to grow up for elegant Sandra, difficult Gina, destructive Paul, considerate Katie, clever Roger and flighty Clare. But was it? As adults, the children return to Allersmead one by one. To their home-making mother and aloof writer father, and a house that for years has played silent witness to a family’s secrets.

I expected a gripping mystery or ethical dilemma like Jodi Picoult. This was nothing like it. The story was quite captivating for the family stories and secrets, but certainly compares to Maeve Binchy more than anybody else.

Diane Chamberlain: The lies we told

After witnessing the murder of their parents, Maya and Rebecca Ward had only each other to cling to in their teenage years and beyond. Now both doctors, they have developed very different coping strategies since the tragedy. Daredevil Rebecca races off to disaster sites with an international team of doctors whilst Maya is content in her quiet medical practice and life with her husband Adam. When a hurricane devastates north Carolina, Maya is feared dead. Adam and Rebecca are left to mourn and hope for a miracle but as the days pass and hope fades, they face unexpected and unwanted feelings and Rebecca discovers that she's been burying some secrets of her own.

I found out about Diane Chamberlain, as she was compared to Jodi Picoult. It's certainly true that this book has got certain traits of a typical Picoult novel, but it doesn't really match the original. The storyline was flatter, although still interesting and the characters where slightly less realistic. Overall, though, this book made for entertaining reading and certainly won't be my last Chamberlain novel.

Jodi Picoult: Sing you home

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe Baxter throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people - even those she loves and trusts most - don't want that to happen.

This is yet another great read by Jodi Picoult, writer of ethical dilemmas. This story was never boring although it isn't as dramatic as some of her other books. It's a great read for the characters as well as the diversity of topics from love to gay rights...

Stephenie Meyer: Twilight 04 - Breaking Dawn

Twilight tempted the imagination ...New Moon made readers thirsty for more ...Eclipse turned the saga into a worldwide phenomenon ...And now - the book that everyone has been waiting for ...Breaking Dawn. In the much anticipated fourth book in Stephenie Meyer's love story, questions will be answered and the fate of Bella and Edward will be revealed.

Very good story and great fun to read although it was a little bit too predictable at times.

Stephenie Meyer: Twilight 03 - Eclipse

'Bella?' Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, and kissed me again. His kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine - like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

Fast read and pacy. Better than the second one, although some of the storylines became a bit too kitchy and cliche.

Stephenie Meyer: Twilight 02 - New Moon

In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi.

The storyline again makes for simple, fascinating reading with little science-fiction. This is perhaps less exciting than the first book in the series, but still a fast and great read.

Rebecca Skloot: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. Born a poor black tobacco farmer, her cancer cells -- taken without her knowledge -- became a multimillion-dollar industry and one of the most important tools in medicine. Yet Henrietta's family did not learn of her 'immortality' until more than twenty years after her death, with devastating consequences....

What an unbelievable story! The way Skloot put together hundreds of hours of interviews with factual research into medical trials and research projects and the private story of one poor family made for great reading. I would have wished for more details about the Lacks family and less of a discussion about the ethics of clinical trials. However, it still makes for good reading.

Stephenie Meyer: Twilight

When 17 year old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town. But she finds that her new classmates are drawn to her. But not the Cullen family. Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her. He seems determined to push her away until he saves her life from an out of control car. Bella soon discovers that the reason for Edward's coldness: he and his family, are vampires.

I've wanted to read this book for a while now, to understand the hype that comes with the Twilight saga. However, at the same time I've always told myself that I don't like science-fiction and vampire stories - but how wrong I was! The storyline makes for simple, fascinating reading with little science-fiction. I'm already onto the next one of the series...

Mark Logue and Peter Conradi: The King's Speech

One man saved the British Royal Family in the first decades of the 20th century - he wasn't a prime minister or an archbishop of Canterbury. He was an almost unknown, and self-taught, speech therapist named Lionel Logue, whom one newspaper in the 1930s famously dubbed 'The Quack who saved a King'. Logue wasn't a British aristocrat or even an Englishman - he was a commoner and an Australian to boot. Nevertheless it was the outgoing, amiable Logue who single-handedly turned the nervous, tongue-tied Duke of York into one of Britain's greatest kings after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 over his love of Mrs Simpson.

This is indeed a very fascinating story about English history. Also, it is fascinating to get to know the Royal family as a typical English family with their very own problems. Although some sections weren't easy to read, the overall style of writing is easy to digest and follow.

Thomas Raab: Der Metzger sieht rot

Was tut man nicht alles aus Liebe? Willibald Adrian Metzger zum Beispiel, der feinsinnige Restaurator, überwindet seine Abneigung gegen Massenveranstaltungen und begleitet seine heiß verehrte Danjela zu einem Heimspiel ihrer Lieblingsmannschaft – mit tragischem Ende. Denn auch der Tod löst diesmal seine Eintrittskarte und zeigt auf dem Spielfeld die finale Rote Karte. Als tags darauf überdies Danjela ihrer Neugierde zum Opfer fällt, ist es vorbei mit der Gelassenheit Metzgers. Mit einer ordentlichen Portion Wut im Bauch macht er sich auf die Suche nach der Wahrheit und findet dabei etwas erschreckend anderes.

Der Metzger und seine Danjela sind interessante und liebenswürdige Charakteren und die Geschichte ist an sich auch fesselnd. Leider sind ein paar Passagen etwas überzogen und lenken vom eigentlichen Geschehen ab. Dennoch ein guter Krimi.

Rosamund Lupton: Sister

When Beatrice gets a frantic call in the middle of Sunday lunch to say that her younger sister, Tess, is missing, she boards the first flight home to London. But as she learns about the circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance, she is stunned to discover how little she actually knows of her sister's life - and unprepared for the terrifying truths she must now face. The police, Beatrice's fiance and even their mother accept they have lost Tess but Beatrice refuses to give up on her. So she embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

What a gripping family story about sisters with a thrilling mystery included. The ending was particularly surprising but somehow slightly disappointing. A great story!

Kathleen Kent: The Heretic's Daughter

Martha Carrier was hanged on August 19th 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, unyielding in her refusal to admit to being a witch. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and wilful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. She narrates the story of her early life in Andover, near Salem. As Sarah and her brothers are also hauled into the prison, the vicious cruelty of the trials is apparent, as the Carrier family, along with other innocents, are starved and deprived of any decency, battling their way through the hysteria with the sheer willpower their mother has taught them.

This was a fascinating story about the witch trials. Harrowing and gruesome at times but still quite uplifting and positive after all.

Elisabeth Hyde: Crazy as Chocolate

Ellie and Izzy have lived a life with a mother they adored. Taking them for long midnight baths or dancing in the dark in the rain, she’s been a magical, colourful figure. Now, on the eve of her forty-first birthday, Izzy realises that she’s about to reach the year her mother never got beyond. Her father and sister are flying out for an emotionally charged weekend visit, and Izzy can’t help feeling that she’s still responsible, that there are apologies to be made.

A sweet family story about how one's childhood influences one's adulthood and capability to form emotional bonds. An easy read!

Chris Kuzneski: The Prophecy

When the prophetic writings of sixteenth-century visionary Nostradamus begin to ring alarmingly true, Payne and Jones find themselves in a life-or-death race to stop those who would use the predictions for their own dark purposes.

Again, this is a fast read! The storyline seems far-fetched at times but that is due to the topic covered in this book - the prohecies of Nostradamus will obviously delve into the mystic and mysterious. The characters are as interesting as always and despite a more unsatisfying ending, this book makes a good read.

Risa Green: Notes from the Underbelly

As a careers counselor at an elite high school, Lara Stone works with spoiled, bratty kids every day, and she is definitely not ready to have any spoiled, bratty kids of her own. At least, not now. Not when her life is going so well. But Lara’s husband has different ideas, and when he presents her with a baby ultimatum, Lara is forced to enter the underbelly of pregnancy.

Having seen the TV show I have been trying to get hold of this book for a long time! It is great fun and so true! The storylines are obviously slightly different to those from the TV series, but the characters (Julie, Lara and Stacey) are equally interesting. A fun, relaxing read!

Roopa Farooki: Half-life

It’s time to stop fighting, and go home! - Those were the words that finally persuaded Aruna to walk out of her East London flat to get on a plane to Singapore, running back home to the city and her old life she had run away from. Aruna is about to discover that running away is easy. It is coming home and making peace that is hard.

This was a very evocative story without being too descriptive. The reader can identify easily with Aruna and Jazz and it is the reader's feelings, too, that are confused and confounded like those of the main characters'.

Roopa Farooki: The way things look to me

At 23, Asif is less than he wanted to be. His mother's sudden death forced him back home to look after his youngest sister, Yasmin, and he leads a frustrating life, ruled by her exacting need for routine as a consequence of her Asperger's syndrome. Everyone tells Asif that he's a good boy, but he isn't so sure. Lila has escaped from home, but she leads a wayward existence, drifting between jobs and men, obsessed with her looks and certain that her value is only skin deep. And then there is Yasmin, who has no idea of the resentment she has caused. Who sees music in colour and remembers so much that sometimes her head hurts. Who doesn't feel happy, but who knows that she is special and that she has a devastating plan.

This story was a great read. The story lines were all well developed and researched carefully and each character's viewpoint makes it clear to the reader that even if we are "neurotypical", we might have some "non-neurotypical" traits within us. The ending of the story leaves some aspects open so that the story doesn't end like a cheap chick-lit story, but a serious and wonderful literary achievement. A fantastic read!

Linda Gillard: Star Gazing

Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister, Louisa, a successful novelist. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace and expression in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, a man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night. Whilst Marianne has had her share of men attracted to her because they want to rescue her, Keir makes no concession to her condition. He is abrupt to the point of rudeness, and yet oddly kind. But can Marianne trust her feelings for this reclusive stranger who wants to take a blind woman to his island home on Skye, to 'show' her the stars?

This was a great read - romantic, sad, emotional, uplifting, suspenseful and pacey. The storyline was fascinating and the characters incredibly convincing. Marianne's blindness was particularly well-developed. At times the story was slightly overdone and reminded too much of simply chick-lit, but overall it was a satisfying and quick read.

Anne Zouroudi: The Messenger of Athens

When the battered body of a young woman is discovered on a remote Greek island, the local police are quick to dismiss her death as an accident. Then a stranger arrives, uninvited, from Athens, announcing his intention to investigate further. His methods are unorthodox, and he brings his own mystery into the web of dark secrets and lies. Who has sent him, on whose authority is he acting, and how does he know of dramas played out decades ago?

The storyline and the characters were interesting and the setting gorgeous. However, the story telling itself was confusing with a range of voices and views merging into one another so that it was at times difficult to determine who is talking when....

Michael Niavarani: Vater Morgana

Es kann zu Verwicklungen kommen, wenn man versucht die deutsch-österreichisch-amerikanisch-schwedisch-britisch-persische Familie endlich einmal unter dem Christbaum zu versammeln oder das persische Neujahrsfest "Nowrouz" gemeinsam zu feiern. Es kann schon kompliziert werden, alle Cousins und Cousinen, Tanten und Onkel in den Sommerferien zu besuchen. Es kommt aber definitiv zu einer globalen Katastrophe, wenn man den Tod des eigenen Vaters vor dessen Mutter geheim halten muss, weil die liebe Verwandtschaft befürchtet, dass Mamanbosorg, meine persische Omi, diesen Schock nicht überleben wird.

Eine unterhaltsame Familiengeschichte mit viel Kultur und Wortwitz. Manchmal war es etwas enttäuschend, aber im Allgemeinen recht lustig.