- April Witch by Majgull Axelsson
Traumatizing tale of unhappy people with bad childhoods. I was confused by the supernatural storyline that I figured would tie the other subplots up at the end, but did not.
- Killing Bono by Neil McCormick
A bleak portrait of frustration with a music industry that cares more about money and marketing than art or talent, but at the same time an almost fantastical account of U2 and Bono's unstoppable rise to superstardom.
- A Case Of Need by Michael Crichton
Page-turner and easy read, but I didn't think the end lived up to the suspense that had been built.
- An Arsonist's Guide To Writers' Homes In New England by Brock Clarke
I enjoyed the clever writing and laughed out loud several times. What seemed at first to be a far-fetched tale told by a self-professed "bumbler" actually revealed a lot about the way we turn those around us into characters in our own stories, not realizing that their own stories might be very different.
- Junior's Leg by Ken Wells
Started a little rough but turned into a rollicking good bayou adventure, fleshed out with not only sex, violence, and the Mafia, but also with love and redemption.
- Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Dark and grim, this story of three childhood friends brought back into contact by a murder is spot-on in its development of the characters and their motivations. From the beginning, the end is inevitable.
- Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
I enjoyed the "exacting revenge" plot of the story, but I thought the characters were all caricaturish as if they were borrowed from a character pool somewhere, and it was obvious that the female protagonist was written by a man. This was one of those books I couldn't lose myself in, because it never struck a chord of truth with me.
- The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
Inventive and intriguing story. Although it felt, even after the end, like it was missing something, I enjoyed it and it made me think.
- The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Good story, but not told in as compelling a manner as it could have been told. The old man protagonist seemed stereotypical and annoyed me. The last quarter of the story did have some good surprises.
- Closer Still by Jo Bannister
Seemed too quickly churned out. I didn't believe the plot, and the characters in this series are starting to seem cartoonish.
- Lost: A Novel by Hans-Ulrich Treichel
Interesting for the storytelling style, not so much for the story itself. I had a very "whatever" feeling when I was done.
- Waiting For My Cats To Die: A Memoir by Stacy Horn
A collection of short, self-absorbed essays. Some poignant and thoughtful moments, but mostly I felt like the author just craves attention.
- Ghost by Alan Lightman
I lost my interest in this book about halfway through when I got tired of the main character. If you're thinking of reading it, let me warn you you never find out anything about the possible ghost.
