April 28-May 4, 2013

I have a 5 star book in this group that probably wouldn't get 5 stars from most. So a little reminder of what 5 stars means from me.

• It has to interest me from the first page. 
• If it's a mystery, I can't guess the bad guy.
• I don't read the end to see if I should keep reading.
• I have to enjoy the way the book is written.
• Nothing irritates me. And believe me, after 56 years of reading I'm easily irritated. 

With You or Without You by Domenica Ruta - a memoir of a very badly raised woman and she is still struggling with it.  Pretty raw and with language. I found it fascinating.

5 stars
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Unintended Consequences by Stuart Wood - I think I'm OCD when it comes to a series, I keep reading them even when they irritate me. Once again, Stone Barrington is hanging around the richest people and everything comes easily to them. And he's ready to hop into bed with any woman at any time.

2 stars
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The Blackhouse by Peter May - takes place on a very small, cold island off Scotland. Goes back and forth between the present and past, with the past mystery more interesting than the present. There are two more books in this series but so far they aren't available at my library. I might have to break down and buy a book!

4 stars
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Another Man's Moccasins Craig Johnson - another in the Sheriff Longmire series. In this one he has flashbacks to his time in Viet Nam because of a present day murder.

3 stars
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Surrogate Thief by Archer Mayor - another series I'm trying to complete. The bad guy was telegraphed pretty early on in the book which I find irritating because if I know I figure everyone else should know too. I think I'll take a break from this series for awhile.

2 stars
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The Good House by Ann Leary - a successful real estate agent deals with life in her town after a stay at a rehab center for alcoholism. Much better than it sounds. I really enjoyed this one.

4 stars
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You Changed My Life by Abdel Sellou - I watched The Intouchables, which I highly recommend, and wanted to know more about the people in it. This is written by the real-life caregiver from the movie. It was interesting to read the real story. A man without much of an upbringing is hired to help a tetraplegic who is quite wealthy.  I hope to read the book by Phillipe Pozzo di Borgo next but my library doesn't have it. 

3 stars
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A Death in Venice and Other Tales by Thomas Mann - oh.my.goodness. I am definitely not an intellectual. I read this because it was mentioned in The End Of Your Life Book Club. All the stories were depressing and lots of them didn't make sense. I only finished it so I could say I had.

1 star