Sadie Bell Blogs About Books

Favorite Books and authors
My favorite book (I have ready it 3 or 4 times) has to be Watchers by Dean Koontz - early Dean Koontz - excellent book on so many different levels. Another book that makes my top 10 is NightFall by Nelson DeMille. Excellent read, that one, with one of the most interesting endings I have come across in a long time.

These are the only two books I have ever, ever read more than one time.

Also like: James Patterson (when he writes alone), David Baldacci, early John Grisham, early Stephen King, Michael Connelly, James Grippando, Jodi Picoult, Joseph Finder, Stuart Woods, Greg Iles, and Nelson DeMille.

I am also a huge Ken Follett fan - and having said that, Pillars of the Earth is also up there on my all time favorite books list - however, for some reason, I have been having a hard time with World Without End. So looked forward to it, and received it at Christmas - started it, but have put is aside as I just can't seem to get into it.

That happens though. Sometimes it's my mood at the time I am reading the book. I have started books, put them down as "boring" only to pick them up a few months later and not be able to put them down until I am done!

So here are my thoughts on some books I have recently read:

The Whole Truth: David Baldacci
Loved this book, read it in about 2 days - could not put it down. Baldacci ties everything together nicely in a plot that is believable, not too complicated - and thought provoking. Very, very thought provoking. Characters are interesting too - even the good guys have their flaws. All in all, highly recommended.

Where Are You Now: Mary Higgins Clark
I sometimes like Clark's books, other times I find them a little too predictable. This one was good, and not that predictable at all. Story keeps moving - Clark sticks to the plot and doesn't veer off course, which is one of the things I like about her.

Book revolves around a young man who has been missing for years, yet contacts his family every Mother's Day - a very brief phone call. From there it takes off!

Worth the read.

Body Surfing: Anita Shreve
The first book I read by Anita Shreve was The Pilot's Wife and it grabbed me immediately. This one....I felt it started a little slow, but about 1/3 of the way in, I found I could not put it down.

One thing about Shreve - her characters are well-developed, rich and compelling. I found myself caring about each and every one of them!

This book is for sale at Sadie Bell's Books
http://www.blujay.com/item/Body-Surfing-Anita-Shreve-author-The-Pilots-Wife-A-Wedding-in-December-3001000-2152299

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
Sadie Bell says: Although I could put neither book down, I liked The Kite Runner a little better than A Thousand Splendid Suns. I don't know why, I just did.

Both books are excellent - and it is very difficult to believe that The Kite Runner is Hosseini's first novel. Wonderfully written, moving story of the friendship between two Afghan boy and how the choices we make follow us through life.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - the story of a bond that develops between two women married to the same man - again, a strongly written, beautifully woven, moving tale.

One of the things I especially liked about both books was that the reader is given an insight to Afghan history, culture and society - and my heart ached for that country that has given so much and lost so much.

Nightfall: Nelson DeMille
Sadie Bell says: This is one of the best books I have ever read. Based on the downing of TWA 800 - for those that don't remember - this was the flight to Paris that went down off the coast of Long Island. There were, and are to this day, all kinds of theories about this, although the official finding was mechanical.

DeMille's book centers around a man and a woman,married, but not to each other who are making love on the beach that night. They are also videotaping it for later viewing. But the videotape catches the final moments of Flight 800 as well. The couple has never come forward.

Now,5 years later, a detective (John Corey, who is also featured in other DeMille books) and his FBI wife want to reopen the investigation, and focus on finding the tape.

This book, especially the ending, is riveting

Standing Still: Kelly Simmons
Sadie Bell says: Very different and interesting. Wasn't sure at first if this book was going to hold my interest, but it did - in fact, I read the whole book on a rainy Saturday!

The First Patient: Michael Palmer
Sadie Bell says: Small town, country doctor discovers a conspiracy to kill his old friend, the President of the United States. And the two, President and doctor, share a secret in their past. Very readable, a little far fetched. Nicely written, well thought out characters. I have not read many of Palmer's books, as medical mystery/thrillers are typically not my genre, but this one was good.

The Appeal - John Grisham
Nice to see Grisham return to the legal thriller that launched him into the stratosphere of best selling authors. The Appeal did not disappoint me (as many of Grisham's recent books have).

Whistling in the Dark - Lesley Kagan
This wonderful read is the author's first book, and I loved it on so many layers. Strong plot, memorable characters, a mystery but not your "run of the mill" mystery - in fact that takes a back seat to the adventures of Sally and Troo O'Malley and the story of the summer of 1959 on Vliet Street. Go back to a simpler time with this book!

Ethel Kennedy: The Other Mrs. Kennedy - Jerry Oppenheimer
Those of us old enough to remember the dominance the Kennedy family had on the American political and social scene will enjoy this comprehensive biography about the Mrs. Kennedy who, although famous in her own right, took a back seat to Jackie. Very interesting read.
The Secret Between Us - Barbara Delinksy
Good premise and plot - (mother takes the rap when her daughter, driving Mom's car, hits and kills a jogger.). Parts of it were, to me at least, a little hard to believe, and other parts, too predictable. But overall, a good read - might be nice for a summer book, weekend book. This was my first Delinksy book, and I am going to try some of her others.

First Patient - Micheal Palmer
Small town, country doctor discovers a conspiracy to kill his old friend, the President of the United States. And the two, President and doctor, share a secret in their past. Very readable, a little far fetched. Nicely written, well thought out characters. I have not read many of Palmer's books, as medical mystery/thrillers are typically not my genre, but this one was good.

19 Minutes - Jodi Picoult
Huge fan of hers, and this book did not disappoint at all. Certainly topical (a school shooting) - but what Piccoult excels at (in my mind) is her well thought out and compelling characters. So far I have read Plain Truth and The Tenth Circle - both of which I liked (although The 10th Circle was somewhat different - one of the things I like about it.) - but not as much as this one. Anxiously awating (already on order) Change of Heart, her latest. The author clearly puts a lot of time and effort into her books, evidenced by the fact that she doesn't offer one every 6 months or so like some other writers, and it shows!
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