Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Divergentby Veronica Rothis a dystopian novel set in an alternate Chicago. (I always assume these are set in the future, but they don't necessarily have to be.)At 16, teenagers must choose their faction: dauntless, abnegation, erudite, amity, and candor. Each faction has its own personality and own roles in society - and they don't mix. Choosing a faction different from your family means you will leave them forever. After troubling testing results, Beatrice isn't sure what faction to choose - and when she does, she must hide her specialness.

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Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lucy Jarrett, a twenty-something professional, goes home to visit when her mother is in a minor traffic accident. While rummaging around in the family home, she finds a letter and scrap of fabric that belonged to a relative she had never heard of- a great-aunt. Interest piqued, she follows clues to unravel the history of her grandfather and his sister. This is also a time of turmoil in the family and in the town - a large amount of undeveloped lakefront property has become available. Her family's land is on the lakefront and there must be a decision about whether to develop or not.

Lucy is taking her journey to full adulthood - dealing with her father's death, her mother's need for male companionship, and her need to decide on the direction her life will take.

Beautiful, lyrical prose and an interesting plot make this a worthwhile read.

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The Drop by Michael Connelly

The Drop by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyed The Drop, but I need to go back and re-read parts - I read it too fast, and missed some of the plotting. Bosch is assigned the investigate the probable suicide of the son of a City Council member. He is also working on one of his cold cases. The investigation of the suicide has "high jingo" - lots of political moves being made in the background. Great read.

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Lord John by Diana Gabaldon

The Lord John Grey stories are finely crafted mysteries involving Lord John, the homosexual British soldier introduced in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  Lord John's adventures take him to Hanover in the Seven Year's War (between England and Hanover and France, Prussia, & Austria), the poorest areas of London, and the wealthiest houses.

 Diana Gabaldon's web page.

Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book contains three novellas: Lord John and the hellfire club -- Lord John and the succubus -- Lord John and the haunted soldier. In all three, he is at the front in Germany during the Seven Year's War. He spends time with his friend, Capt Von Naumsen (sp? I've been listening to it.) Very good if you like Lord John. These & other Lord John stories are not for everyone.


Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. The posh english speech of Lord John and brother Hal is wonderfully counterpointed to the various accents of the lower class characters. Highly recommend the story - warning some explicit sex.

Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to Lord John and the Private Matter. I enjoyed the story but the best part was listening to the reader, Jeff Woodman, with his oh-so-posh British accent. I'm not sure reading it would have been the same experience. Am now listening to .

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Boomerang by Michael Lewis

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this short book in one evening. Lewis visits Iceland, Greece, and Ireland investigating their recent (and current) financial crises. Even though superficially, the three countries' problems sound similar, he looks deep into their national character to get to the underlying issues. He then visits California and looks into that state's finances and a local municipality which had to declare bankruptcy. Lewis is not afraid to express his opinion about the underlying causes - which should be a bit of a wake-up to us all.

I recommend it even if you don't read a lot about finances or governments.

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