I was drawn in by the terrific writing in the early chapters, then turned off by the rambling repetitive and unpleasant flabby middle. An editor with fortitude could have made this a gem of a book. Instead, it's just another bloated bestseller.

This was one of my favorites of the year when it was first published. Lovely writing, achingly vibrant characters and an intriguing plot. A lyrical read.

Two outstanding novellas and other short fiction works comprise this diverse collection. I especially enjoyed Donna Hill's 316 Auburn Lane, a chilling tale that reads like a Twilight Zone episode. Another winner with a tinge of the supernatural is Rita Banerjee's A Night with Kali. Some flash fiction extras also entertain.

Reading this book was a joy. Doerr's creates an almost magical, yet very real world of two children caught in the undertow of World War II. My favorite book of the year.

After her acclaimed debut novel, White Teeth, Smith continues to prove her talent in this tale of the daughter of a used up philandering professor father and a Caribbean mother. Interesting characters and personal intricacies abound.

My book club read this book, one I would never have chosen on my own, but I'm glad to have read it. It's a well-written story of a bright young woman torn between her family's insular immigrant community and the opportunity to break away and take her place in mainstream America. You root for her all the way to make the right choice.