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Book and Author Reviews
I don’t know about you, but I love to read. Sometimes husbands and housework get in the way; I hate it when that happens!
By Nancy Ryan Simply Hers Magazine
I remember my childhood walks to my local library. The silence within as I closed that door behind me, and the smell of those books when I entered are a treasured memory. Then I graduated to the young adult section, and all new books opened up to me. It was paradise. As retired woman, my love of reading has only intensified. I grew up with Trixie Beldon mysteries, Nancy Drew, and Perry Mason. Later I graduated to Beverly Cleary, Victoria Holt, Danielle Steele, and Janet Dailey. Now romance writer Nora Roberts and general fiction author Jodi Picoult hold me captive. Nora Roberts has written 190 novels! Just read them all, one at a time, and enjoy. Her recent Bride novellas are a good starting point. Mac, Emma, Laurel, and Parker are single, beautiful women and childhood friends. They have combined their talents and started a wedding business together. Photographer Mac’s storyline takes place within Vision In White. In Bed of Roses, Emma has found her calling as a wedding florist. Laurel creates “luscious tiers of cakes” in Savor the Moment;and Parker, the wedding planner, in Happy Ever After, is the face of their business, Vows. (Nora has just started a new series about three brothers. The first is entitled, The Next Always.) Roberts also has wonderful stand-alone novels, like Hot Ice, Public Secrets, Genuine Lies. Two of my favorites wereSacred Sins and Brazen Virtue. (I notice these two have recently been reissued and are available in local stores.) They are written from a man’s viewpoint, trust me, you’ll like it. In addition to finding the bad guys, two police detective partners have their cases end up with them wearing wedding rings. Ah, romance!
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Jodi Picoult is the gift that keeps on giving. Every one of her novels is hard to put down. She most always has a little twist at the end of her books, which keeps you guessing all the way through. Nineteen Minutes, a book ripped from the headlines about the effects of bullying, was riveting. Other stories of hers are also topical Picture Perfect, spousal abuse; The Pact, teen suicide; Mercy, about euthanasia; all are issues relevant to the days we live in. Her newest book, Lone Wolf, comes out soon. Can’t wait for that one. So, you’ve probably noticed I’m all about authors. We each have different tastes or genres in what we choose to read, and I hope this column, with suggested authors, opens up some new avenues for your future reading pleasure. See you at the library!