Braille Book Review

January-February 2007
Books for Adults--Fiction

Fiction

The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners BR 15964
by John Bunyan
4 volumes
Two classic works by English Puritan John Bunyan (1628-1688). In the allegorical tale Pilgrim's Progress, the protagonist, burdened by sin, leaves the City of Destruction to find Zion, the city of God. His journey embodies Christian teachings. In Grace Abounding, Bunyan recounts his conversion and spiritual growth. 2004.

Kiss Me Again BR 15984
by Lisa Jackson and others
3 volumes
Four short stories about women who find love in different ways. In "The Marrying Kind" by Debbie Macomber, Jason Ingram meets his first true love a few days before his wedding. In "The Brass Ring" by Lisa Jackson, Dr. Shawna McGuire's fiancé has amnesia. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005.

The Castlemaine Murders: A Phryne Fisher Mystery BR 16116
by Kerry Greenwood
2 volumes
Australia. When Phryne Fisher, her two daughters, her younger sister, and her Chinese lover visit an amusement park, their day of fun is cut short: Phryne discovers a mummified corpse, complete with a bullet hole. As Phryne investigates, she and her family receive death threats. 2002.

Burned: A Regan Reilly Mystery BR 16118
by Carol Higgins Clark
2 volumes
Los Angeles private investigator Regan Reilly, about to be married, joins her girlfriend Kit Callan in Hawaii for a last fling. When the body of the resort's social director, Dorinda Dawes, washes ashore, the hotel manager persuades Regan to investigate. Suspects include assorted guests and a local millionaire. 2005.

Every Boy's Got One BR 16120
by Meg Cabot
3 volumes
In an adventure that unfolds through travel diaries and e-mails, reporter Cal Langdon and cartoonist Jane Harris clash at first as they travel to Italy to witness their best friends' elopement. But when wedding plans hit a snag, they cooperate to obtain a necessary document and fall in love. 2005.

Rosie Dunne BR 16122
by Cecelia Ahern
4 volumes
Irish childhood friends Rosie and Alex keep in touch through the years. Both plan for college in the United States, but Rosie gets pregnant and remains in Ireland while Alex attends Harvard. Over time the two miss opportunities to declare their love for each other. Some strong language. 2005.

The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains BR 16196
by Owen Wister
4 volumes
Centennial edition of the classic western tale told by an easterner who, while visiting a Wyoming ranch, is impressed by a slow-talking, quick-witted cowboy known only as the Virginian. The Virginian falls for schoolteacher Molly Wood, but a feud with a ranch hand threatens their courtship. Some violence. 1902.

A Factory of Cunning BR 16200
by Philippa Stockley
3 volumes
1784. A French noblewoman-turned-madam arrives in London planning to find a husband and resume her craft. Calling herself Mrs. Fox, she infiltrates society and becomes the instrument of revenge against notorious aristocrat Earl Much, art collector and debaucher of young women. Some strong language. 2005.

Sweet Nothings: The Coulter Family, Book 3 BR 16208
by Catherine Anderson
4 volumes
Molly Wells steals a valuable but abused racehorse from her ex- husband. She takes the animal to the ranch of "horse whisperer" Jake Coulter in Oregon for help. There Molly remains in hiding. Explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2002.

The Serpent on the Crown: An Amelia Peabody Mystery, Book 17 BR 16210
by Elizabeth Peters
3 volumes
Egypt, 1922. Archaeologist Amelia Peabody Emerson and her family are at their house on the Nile when author Magda Petherick arrives with an ancient statue she believes is cursed. When Magda is murdered, Amelia and her husband and son investigate the crime as well as the relic's history. 2005.

Pinned BR 16217
by Alfred C. Martino
2 volumes
Seniors Ivan and Bobby compete on rival New Jersey high school wrestling teams. While vying for a state championship that would lead to college scholarships, each boy keeps a demanding training schedule and copes with family problems. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2005.

Gonna Lay Down My Burdens BR 16218
by Mary Monroe
3 volumes
Belle Helene, Alabama. Thirty-year-old African American Carmen has experienced many tragedies in her life. She is about to marry an old boyfriend she doesn't love when her best friend, Desiree, involves her in a crime--and the two women flee town. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2002.

Lone Calder Star: Calder Saga, Volume 9 BR 16219
by Janet Dailey
3 volumes
Chase Calder of Montana sends his grandson Quint Echohawk to the family's ranch in Texas to prevent a takeover by millionaire Max Rutledge. Quint, a former ATF agent, encounters trouble but gets help from Empty Garner and his beautiful granddaughter Dallas. Some violence. 2005.

ImPossible BR 16221
by Danielle Steel
3 volumes
Widowed gallery owner Sasha Boardman offers a contract to bad-boy artist Liam Allison. Soon conservative Sasha and staunch- nonconformist Liam begin an affair--though he is married and nearly a decade younger. Differences, complications, and personality clashes threaten their dramatic romance. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2005.

The Sea BR 16232
by John Banville
2 volumes
Middle-aged Irish widower Max Morden retreats to the seaside where he spent his boyhood summers to mourn the loss of his wife, Anna. While his grown daughter tries to console him, he confronts the past and his relationship with the wealthy Grace family. Strong language. Man Booker Prize. Bestseller 2005.

Best Foot Forward BR 16240
by Joan Bauer
1 volume
In this sequel to Rules of the Road (BR 11821), Jenna has returned to school and to her job with Mrs. Gladstone at the shoe store. Jenna copes with many changes there, including Tanner Cobb, a new employee with a police record. For junior and senior high readers. 2005.

In the Shadow of the Peacock BR 16296
by Grace Edwards-Yearwood
3 volumes
Frieda's husband dies during the 1943 Harlem riots while trying to save a trapped woman. Afterwards Frieda protects her daughter Celia from the dangers and temptations of the world. But Celia grows up and falls in love. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1988.

The Razor's Edge BR 16302
by W. Somerset Maugham
3 volumes
Twenty-year-old WWI aviator Larry Darrell leaves Chicago and heads to Paris seeking truth and meaning. In Larry's prolonged absence, his fiancée, Isabel, marries wealthy broker Gray Maturin. Ruined by the depression years later, Isabel and her family relocate to Paris, where she and Larry reassess life and love. 1943.

Million Dollar Dilemma BR 16345
by Judy Baer
3 volumes
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twenty-eight-year-old preacher's daughter Cassia Carr inadvertently participates in an office lottery pool and wins twenty million dollars. When Cassia decides to donate her ill-gotten wealth, her neighbor Adam Cavanaugh, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and lapsed Christian, tries to convince her to contribute the money to impoverished Africans. 2005.

Hard Truth BR 16347
by Mariah Stewart
2 volumes
Lorna Stiles revisits her family's farm, where a girlhood friend, Melinda, disappeared at age nine. Melinda's brother Jason was suspected of killing Melinda, but he vanished, too. Now Jason's remains materialize, and police arrest his mother. Lorna enlists ex-FBI agent T.J. Dawson to investigate. Strong language and some violence. 2005.

The Two-Minute Rule BR 16364
by Robert Crais
3 volumes
After serving ten years in prison, forty-six-year-old bank robber Max Holman is released on parole only to discover his estranged son--an LAPD policeman--has been murdered. Max contacts ex-FBI agent Katherine Pollard--the very agent who arrested him--to help him find his son's killers. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller 2006.

Two Moons BR 16374
by Thomas Mallon
3 volumes
Washington, D.C.; 1877. When mathematically gifted Cynthia May, a thirty-five-year-old widow, applies for the human "computer" position at the Naval Observatory, she is only looking for a better job. But her life changes forever as she encounters a young astronomer, an astrologer, and a powerful, corrupt senator. 2000.

The Penelopiad BR 16454
by Margaret Atwood
1 volume
Penelope is in Hades recalling the events of her life in this contemporary retelling of the ancient Greek tale of the faithful wife of Odysseus and her twelve hanged maids. 2005.

White Apples BR 16458
by Jonathan Carroll
3 volumes
Surreal journey of philanderer Vincent Ettrich, who dies and is resurrected by his pregnant girlfriend. Ettrich struggles to comprehend the mystery of his new life and to protect the unborn child who, he discovers, is crucial to the salvation of the universe. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2002.

Inexcusable BR 16460
by Chris Lynch
1 volume
High school senior and football star Keir believes he's a "good guy" who can do no wrong. When his behavior spins out of control, escalating into date rape on graduation night, Keir is forced to assess his morals. Some strong language. For senior high readers. National Book Award Finalist. 2005.

The House BR 16461
by Danielle Steel
3 volumes
San Francisco. A client has left workaholic lawyer Sarah Anderson an unexpected inheritance with the caveat to have fun with the money. Sarah decides to renovate a mansion and becomes absorbed in its history. Soon she finds herself falling in love with architect Jeff Parker. Some strong language. Bestseller 2006.

Two Little Girls in Blue BR 16462
by Mary Higgins Clark
2 volumes
A kidnapper takes three-year-old identical twins Kelly and Kathy Frawley from their Connecticut home. After a ransom payment, only one child returns, with a note claiming the other is dead. But Kelly telepathically hears her sister calling her and gives their parents hope that Kathy is still alive. Bestseller 2006.

A Christmas Guest BR 16464
by Anne Perry
1 volume
Cantankerous Grandmama, from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, solves a mystery of her own after a visiting relative is murdered during the holidays. The family's indifference to the death raises Grandmama's suspicions. Along the way she uncovers secrets and discovers the meaning of Christmas. 2005.

Grimm's Last Fairytale BR 16473
by Haydn Middleton
2 volumes
Journeying through his homeland, the elderly professor Jacob Grimm recalls his childhood when he and his brother, Wilhelm, listened to the stories of their mother. His memories are interwoven with a retelling of The Sleeping Beauty and the tales of his companions, his niece, and a servant. 1999.

Played BR 16474
by Dana Davidson
2 volumes
In order to join a fraternity at his Detroit high school Ian must make Kylie want him. Ian is surprised when he is the one who falls in love, while Kylie tries to suppress her suspicions and enjoy their relationship. Some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2005.

Full Service BR 16477
by Will Weaver
2 volumes
In the summer of 1965, teenager Paul Sutton, a northern Minnesota farm boy, takes a job at a gas station in town. His strict religious upbringing is challenged by the people and situations he encounters during his employment. For senior high readers. 2005.

The Way West BR 16478
by A.B. Guthrie
3 volumes
1840s. Dick Summers has been to Oregon before, but now that his wife has died he decides to return. He will guide a group of men and women from Missouri on the difficult journey along the Oregon Trail. Sequel to The Big Sky ( BR 14920). Pulitzer Prize. 1949.

Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers: More Mad, Marvy Confessions of Georgia Nicolson BR 16480
by Louise Rennison
2 volumes
British teenager Georgia Nicolson continues to list all her madcap adventures in her journal. When the family goes to Memphis, Hamburger-a-gogo land (U.S.A.), Georgia and her best friend try to track down Georgia's current crush, Masimo, who's visiting relatives in New York. For senior high readers. 2005.

S Is for Silence: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery BR 16508
by Sue Grafton
3 volumes
California PI Kinsey Millhone is hired by Daisy Sullivan to investigate her mother's disappearance. Violet Sullivan never returned from a Fourth of July fireworks display thirty-four years ago when Daisy was six. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. Bestseller 2005.

Beasts of No Nation BR 16528
by Uzodinma Iweala
1 volume
Schoolboy Agu is forced to join guerrilla fighters when civil war erupts in his West African nation. In the company of other child soldiers, he becomes disassociated from his comfortable family home and abruptly accustomed to brutality and killing as he seeks to please his commandant. Violence. 2005.



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