Jan-Philipp Sendker has done it again. He has written another sure bestseller with Whispering Shadows. His ability to take you deep into the heart of his characters shines through in this novel. This story explores the meaning of love and trust as well as the weight of years of guilt and what it can do to a person. As Paul Leibovitz struggles to overcome his grief and guilt he is forced out of his isolation by his interactions with a lover and a best friend which sets the stage for a story of thrilling suspense on top of the deep character study. The setting of the story in present day Hong Kong and China provides the reader with an enlightened understanding of the political and business atmosphere driving the economy of this area. For those who like a book to provide them with characters that endear and make a lasting impression this book would have definite appeal. With so many themes to explore in this many layered novel this book will provide a lot of discussion for book groups.

Paul Fischer has exposed life in North Korea as never before seen. This amazing story of the kidnapping of a South Korean movie director and his movie star wife was heart wrenching and exhilarating at the same time. Through their difficult experiences as captives of Kim Jong Il we come to see how North Korea has been living with the iron hand control of its socialist leaders. It is very disturbing to learn the truth of how the citizens have been brainwashed to extreme ignorance and misunderstanding of what exists beyond the country's boundaries. This book will be especially appealing to the public in light of recent news headlines on North Korea's supposed involvement with Sony Pictures. This story could well be the Unbroken of the movie world. There is certainly much to discuss in this book and it should definitely be a recommendation for book clubs.

Reading this engrossing story put me on a roller coaster of emotions. A young couple, Tobias and Anna, are preparing for the birth of their first child when suddenly their lives turn into a whirlwind of drama, emotion and adventure relayed month by month over the first year of their new daughter's life. Both Tobias and Anna search for a way to 'escape' the emotional burden of caring for their severely disabled but "perfect" daughter. They struggle with a fear of loving her and losing her. The move to France to take on the renovation of a dilapidated estate begins the adventure and the many delightful characters that come into their lives during that year in France add great depth to the story. I found I could not put down the book as I was caught up in their quest for providing care for this child and still finding some way to develop some normalcy in their lives and survive. The touching scenes between parent and child in so many situations will stay with me for a long time. Their final decision is a testament to the power of love which in this case was able to surmount many difficulties. Beware that their kitchen needed a lot more than mouse-proofing.

The House Girl proved thoroughly fascinating and cleverly written in such a way as to so hold my attention that I read the entire book in not much more than 6 hours. The story line of the young lawyer paralleled with Josephine the slave girl both seeking their life's meaning more than 150 years apart was very engaging. These were characters so rich and emotionally satisfying that you truly came to care about what they were going through. Tara Conklin is an author we should be hearing much more about very soon. This will be a book I suggest to all my friends and my book clubs.

Though an avid reader of historical fiction, I have not read much that takes place during this time period of 1812-15 in England and Spain. This novel truly brought the time period to life with careful attention to detail and historical research. The characters were vividly believable and drew you into the emotional side of the historical period. I truly learned a great deal about this time period through an enjoyable read. Due to the amount of detail I would suggest that the reader be a history fan. Some readers looking for a shallow romance with historical background will be disappointed. I will be looking forward to more novels by Stella Tillyard.

Being an avid reader of historical fiction I was pleased to receive this book for review and was not disappointed. Though at first glance it may appear to be just another historical romance, Ms. Fiorato brings much more depth to the novel. The 18th century life in Siena is vividly recreated with careful attention to historical accuracy and detail. I so enjoy being educated in the history and culture of the time and this book enlightened me immensely. I had no prior knowledge of this time and place and now I am intrigued by the history and hope to learn more from this author. The characters are richly drawn and believable. She skillfully moves through the active plot leading the reader into the world of the Siena of 1723 full of the culture of class distinction and family pride. I highly recommend this as an excellent example of very readable historical fiction and look forward to reading more by this author.

Author Lisa Napoli accepts an opportunity to travel to Bhutan, a little known third world country tucked into the Himalayas between India and China. One of the more unusual aspects of this country's governing philosophy is the notion of GNH or Gross National Happiness which means that quality of life is to take precedence over any attempt at financial gain. The most appealing part of this book was the exposure to the lifestyle, dreams and accomplishments of the citizens of this country which has attempted to remain isolated from the damaging influences of the Western world, especially internet and media control. However, over the course of several years covered in the story we come to learn that even tiny Bhutan is undergoing modernization due to the unavoidable exposure to television, internet and media attention. Another aspect of the story which is very unique is the experience of the Bhutanese when they come to the United States and discover unimaginable wealth and material goods, which results in both positive and negative effects. I found this book to be a pleasurable read which provides the reader with a chance to become immersed in the life and culture of real Bhutanese citizens and experience the wonder of an innocent people in a place that can truly be called the last Shangri-La.

This book stirs your emotions in a way that not many books usually do. I found myself feeling a lot of the pain that Beth and her family were experiencing through the excellent characterization and description of their emotional state. This is a book especially for those who want to try and understand the feelings of loss that people might have following the death of a loved one. Beth clearly describes the difficulties of dealing with not only the loss but the possible guilt of being a survivor and feeling responsible for providing support to other family members and friends suffering from the same loss. I have always felt uncomfortable in talking to someone who has suffered a deep loss and through Beth's book I think I will have a better understanding of how to respond. I would also like to commend Beth Greenfield on being able to put this painful memory into a story that can help not only herself but other people in similar situations see the way to recovery.