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Best ( C )

Two Kinds of Truth (A Harry Bosch Novel)
Reviews
"Two Kinds of Truth is an outstanding addition to the fabulous Harry Bosch series. This mystery series is one of my very favorites; Connelly has managed to create an authentic, likeable main character in Harry Bosch and has successfully provided him with a career path that lends itself to interesting cases and story lines. In Two Kinds of Truth, Harry starts out revisiting a cold case for the San Fernando Police Department. The other part of Two Kinds of Truth that I loved was the resolution of the cold case Harry was pursuing. And the other, malleable truth of politicians, charlatans, corrupt lawyers, and their clients, bent and molded to serve whatever purpose is at hand.” As the mother of three children, I have had to spend an inordinate amount of time this past year making sure my kids understand how important the truth is and how important it is to refuse to accept those that attempt to corrupt truth."
"I was surprised to run in to the Lincoln Lawyer character, something I was familiar with from the movies."
"Excellent book but then anything from Michael Connelly always is a great read."
"Once again,Harry is involved in multiple mysteries but this time it will take his best as he is forced to defend his name in one case and go under cover as an addict in the other."
"The characters of Harry and Mickey and the others are more than stereotypes, not some far fetched super hero nonsense."
"It is a Harry Bosch novel, not classic literature, but it is an excellent read if you like Harry Bosch novels."
"In Two Kinds of Truth, Mr. Connelly creates an altruistic Harry Bosh."
"Actually I look forward to all new Michael Connelly books."
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Murder on the Orient Express CD: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries)
By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare.
Reviews
"Read it for a book club after seeing the movie."
"I read the book in one day and you absolutely need to read the book if you saw the movie they don't end the same way."
"good book for traveling- compact and easy read on a long flight."
"A real puzzler of a murder mystery up until the very end."
"Great read, got you on the edge of your seat."
"Cannot wait to see the movie.... great to know the background.......Don't you alll just LOVE this Agatha Christie...."
"Keep me guessing till the end."
"Worth re-reading, especially after watching any of the filmed treatments."
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The Late Show
The Late Show.
Reviews
"In his latest novel "The Late Show," Connelly has once again created a memorable a character like Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller with the introduction of Renée Ballard. If you are a fan of strong, well-defined characters in the vein of Patricia Cornwell (Kay Scarpetta) or Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone), then Renée Ballard might have you hooked from the start. She has a partner like Bosch but has to work her way up the ranks beginning at the deplorable midnight shift, hence the book's title 'The Late Show." What I enjoy best about Connelly's writing, and is consistent in "The Late Show," is the great Los Angeles geographical descriptions from the streets, freeways, Hollywood and beaches like Venice."
"One is to find a man who enjoys beating people with inscribed brass knuckles. She also is involved in a case of stolen credit cards, pawning purchased items and guns used for serious murders. Through the story one can begin to understand who she trusts, who can be depended upon and who shaped her childhood which led to her choice of police work."
"Female detective who thinks like Harry - mission and unrelenting drive to uncover the truth."
"I’ve read every novel by Michael Connelly, but I was somewhat uneasy about his introduction of Renee Ballard in "The Late Show"."
"The main character is like an unfeeling piece of cardboard moving through the story -- there is nothing that makes her memorable and she just seems like a cold, obsessive, uninteresting person with no sense of humor or self-knowledge or emotional ties to anyone. There is so much procedural information that it is as if Connelly had been on a few "ride alongs" and sat in the police bureaucracy for awhile and was just writing it down. In previous reviews of recent Bosch books I thought it might be time for a new detective/main character: if this was the start of a Renee Ballard series, count me out. Finally, if having the dog and having “rescued” it was supposed to make Renee more likable, she should have spent some time with it instead of neglecting it!!"
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Best Card, Orson Scott

Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet)
A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. “[Rudnicki's] deep, dispassionate, and sometimes lacerating voice gives a mesmerizing performance, managing to make Ender believable both as a vulnerable boy and as a brilliant military strategist….
Reviews
"I am not generally a reader of the genre, and had doubts as to whether I would actually enjoy the book. If you like science fiction, the book reads incredibly well - and has enough technology and science elements to engross the reader of fantasy."
"The whole idea that while ender thought he would be taken on another long journey instead he defeated the buggers without his knowledge blows my mind ... And from the point of him commanding the fleet to him bringing along the new hive is crazy. Those fight scenes are important to Enders story and really except for the fact that ender needs a towel afterwards I completely forgot him and bonzo were naked. Secondly I think that ender is likely homosexual just because of the peace be with you kisses and the fact that he doesn't crave attention from any of the girls like Petra but feels lonely when rejected or hated by the boys."
"I don't believe in being genre specific, so I try my best to read a bit of everything; and I am glad I gave this YA Sci-Fi a try (yes, the rhyming was intentional). Ender's Game is rooted in a clichéd plotline (bug-like aliens have attempted an invasion, and earthlings must come together to fight this infestation from outer space. I've seen the other review comments and although most catch onto the Battle School and their desire to win this war at the cost of our youth, I haven't seen too many people mention that Orson Scott Card painted a picture of Ender in which Ender was far from innocent, even at six years old."
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Best Carlson, Richard

Dont Sweat Small Stuff
With Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ...you'll also learn how to: * Live in the present moment. * Let others have the glory at times. * Lower your tolerance to stress. * Trust your intuitions. * Live each day as it might be your last. With gentle, supportive suggestions, Dr. Carlson reveals ways to make your actions more peaceful and caring, with the added benefit of making your life more calm and stress-free. Carlson urges small daily changes and uses examples of improvement from his own life to show how the advice works, making the book ideally suited to the audio format.
Reviews
"Fantastic read for anyone struggling with anything or finding yourself in roadblock situations."
"Best book I ever bought as far as bettering myself and the way I think and approach life."
"Was recommended this by a friend."
"Great book for anyone who ever doubts life & your reactions to it."
"great book i recieved a copy for christmas and read it like 5 times and had to buy a copy for my family members."
"Recommended read from a leadership conference."
"Great book."
"This is the 9th time I have purchased this book in 7 years, the first copy for myself and the next 8 purchased for family and close friends when I've been privy to tough or turbulent times in their lives."
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Best Chandler, Raymond

Raymond Chandler: The BBC Radio Drama Collection: 8 BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisations
The Big Sleep , Farewell My Lovely , The High Window , and Poodle Springs are dramatized by Robin Brooks; The Lady in the Lake , The Little Sister , The Long Goodbye , and Playback are dramatized by Stephen Wyatt. After serving for the Canadian Army during World War I he tried a variety of jobs before becoming a bookkeeper and auditor for Dabney Oil Syndicate. In 1939 he published his first novel The Big Sleep to instant acclaim in Britain and the US, introducing the world to his iconic private eye, Philip Marlowe, who later also starred in novels including Farewell My Lovely and The Long Goodbye .
Reviews
"Love it!"
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Best Christie, Agatha

Murder on the Orient Express CD: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries)
By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare.
Reviews
"I can tell you that it was all it hoped for in a Christie and M. Poirot is even more masterful in print than on the screen, I think."
"This is Agatha Christie's classic story which included her famous detective Hercule Poirot."
"Read it for a book club after seeing the movie."
"I am not usually a murder mystery fan, but I wanted to see how close the movie would be to the book."
"She is an author that continues to gain readers in each generation even after her death."
"A well known classic which I read in my youth in a Spanish translation, and after seeing the film I wanted to read in the original."
"This was a real "thinker"."
"good book for traveling- compact and easy read on a long flight."
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Best Clancy, Tom

Command Authority (A Jack Ryan Novel)
The #1 New York Times -bestselling author and master of the technothriller returns with his All-Star team. Mark Greaney is the national bestselling author of The Gray Man series of books, the most recent of which is Dead Eye .
Reviews
"President Jack Ryan is up to his eyeballs in Russian intrigue when Russia decides to start annexing parts of the neighborhood."
"Although my enjoyment of this novel was tempered by the knowledge that this was his last work, I remained in awe of Clancy's ability to accurately portray very plausible world events, many of which eventually occurred. As a now-retired soldier and law enforcement officer, few things kill my enjoyment of these types of novels more than inaccurate, unrealistic details, especially when coupled with a completely improbable plot."
"For a book that has been in publication for this many years, there is no excuse to have editing errors a failing high school English student wouldn't make."
"Sadly, few of the Clancy books, especially those with his name attached AFTER HIS DEATH, are written in the same fashion as the ones that we all love to read beginning with Red Storm Rising."
"A must read for anybody interested in international intrigue and plausible tales of split second decisions."
"I decided to wait until COMMAND AUTHORITY came out in mass market paperback before reading it -- I have a nice hardback for the collection but I hate lugging around those thick hardcovers when I do most of my reading on the bus. I felt that the inclusion of the Jack Ryan Sr. murder investigation subplot 30 years in the past was a nice touch. It took a hundred or so pages for me to really get into the book but once I was hooked it was impossible to put down."
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Best Clark, Mary Higgins

All Dressed in White: An Under Suspicion Novel
The second thrilling novel in the New York Times bestselling Under Suspicion series following The Cinderella Murder , featuring intrepid television producer Laurie Moran as she investigates the case of a missing bride—new from Encore at a great price! "Fans of MWA Grand Master Clark will find plenty of intrigue and excitement in this contemporary thriller...Clark keeps readers guessing and in suspense."
Reviews
"This collaboration between Mary and Alafair makes for a great series of books."
"I haven't read one of Clark's books in a long time and I was pleasantly surprised and reagreat lly enjoyed the book and will be borrowing the rest of the series soon."
"Mary Higgins Clark is always a great read and when you add Alafair Burke it is still a great read."
"Great book in a very great series."
"Typical great read as you would expect from M.H.Clark."
"A great book."
"This series has been very suspenseful."
"Great Mary Higgins Clark book as all her books are."
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Best Colson, Charles W.

The Four Loves: Featuring the vintage BBC recordings of C.S. Lewis
He explores the love between parents and children, the love of friends, the love of men and women for each other, and the love of God that may enrich all love. An atheist until he was 30, he is remembered as a Christian apologist who expressed the great truths of his faith with penetrating logic and winsome wit.
Reviews
"Lewis brings theology, philosophy and plain old homespun wisdom alive in this profound book on the 4 loves."
"He listens in his car driving to-and-from work and absolutely loves them."
"Lewis wrote this book late in his life after he had experienced love with a colleague in writing. He gives sound advice that I believe applies to a broader base than his usual Christian readership. Charity is the deepest form of giving our feeling, freedom, and even our very selves, to each other and finally, to God, whom Lewis calls "Love Himself." Unlike other works, such as "Miracles" or "Mere Christianity" where logic sets the primary pace, "The Four Loves" is a book where Lewis brings much of his experience to light. Rather, Lewis uses logic to makes sense of experiences in his past to try and uncover truths about love."
"it is a really old book yet still commands a high price on amazon."
"C. S Lewis feels like and old friend as I have been reading his works since I was a child."
"My favorite quotes: "There is indeed a particular charm, both in friendship and in Eros, about those moments when Appreciative love lies, as it were, curled up asleep, and the mere ease and ordinariness of the relationship (free as solitude, yet neither is alone) wraps us round. "This headship, then, is most fully embodied not in the husband we should all wish to be but in him whose marriage is most like a crucifixion; whose wife receives most and gives least, is most unworthy of him, is - in her own mere nature - least lovable."
"That block being made up of Lewis's vast vocabulary and frequent references to books, poems and characters far beyond the scope of my reading experience."
"The scholar, Lewis, uses the Greek words for love, which are not under one umbrella, "love" which becomes meaningless in English."
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Best Connelly, Michael

The Wrong Side of Goodbye (A Harry Bosch Novel)
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. #1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER Notable Book of 2016 -- Washington Post 10 Favorite Books of 2016 -- Colette Bancroft, Tampa Bay Times 10 Best Mysteries of 2016 -- Adam Woog, Seattle Times Detective Harry Bosch must track down someone who may never have existed in the new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly. But as he begins to uncover the haunting story--and finds uncanny links to his own past--he knows he cannot rest until he finds the truth. Swift, unpredictable, and thrilling, The Wrong Side of Goodbye shows that Michael Connelly "continues to amaze with his consistent skill and sizzle" ( Cleveland Plain Dealer ). Few mystery novelists make background facts and simple descriptions sing the way this writer does. And no writer exploits Los Angeles - its geography, its historical power wars, its celebrity culture, its lore - as compellingly as Connelly....he must be read." "If any novelist is worthy to walk once more through the front door of Raymond Chandler's iconic Sternwood mansion, it's Michael Connelly. For over two decades, Connelly has been brilliantly updating and enlarging the possibilities of the classic L.A. hard-boiled novel, first bestowed upon the world in 1939 with Chandler's debut, The Big Sleep . Moving effortlessly between Bosch's private and public cases, he ratchets up the tension...pulling off in the final few chapters a California noir sleight of hand that would make Ross Macdonald envious." "In each novel, Connelly has dug deeper into Harry's psyche, as he skillfully does in The Wrong Side of Goodbye ....Connelly's melding of the police procedural, private detective novel and intense character study remains solid. "....it is immensely satisfying to see Bosch's sustained and deepened passion for his mission- "Everybody count or nobody counts" - undiminished by age or circumstance, even as a younger generation of detectives of all colors and orientations share the stage to carry on the work that has given Bosch, and this series, such an enduring appeal.
Reviews
"In his private investigator role, he is invited to meet an aging aviation billionaire, Whitney Vance, who has a proposition - find out if he has any surviving offspring who could become the heir to his huge fortune. At the same time, Bosch gets tied up almost full time with a major case for the small police force of San Fernando - a serial rapist who gains entry by cutting through the screen door of victims' houses. The hunt for the "Screen Cutter" heats up when more victims are identified and a criminal profile suggests that it is only a matter of time before the rapist also becomes a killer."
"In The Wrong Side of Goodbye, former LAPD detective Harry Bosch is hired as a private eye to find out whether a reclusive billionaire has an heir related to him by blood. The investigation will also expose him and his teenage daughter to great danger, as the board members of the billionaire’s company seek to protect their access to wealth and power."
"When he bucked authority while on the LAPD in order to do the right thing and bring justice to the guilty I rooted for him, but at times the older Bosch just seems churlish and a bit childish."
"He also fills in his time working as a private detective, in the course of which he's called to see an elderly billionaire, Wilbur Vance, who wants him to track down an heir."
"Something different from other previous books."
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Best Cornwell, Patricia

Flesh and Blood CD: A Scarpetta Novel (Kay Scarpetta Series)
It’s Dr. Kay Scarpetta’s birthday, and she’s about to head to Miami for a vacation with Benton Wesley, her FBI profiler husband, when she notices seven pennies on a wall behind their Cambridge house. In this 22nd Scarpetta novel, the master forensic sleuth finds herself in the unsettling pursuit of a serial sniper who leaves no incriminating evidence except fragments of copper. "In her twenty-second Scarpetta novel, Cornwell's forensic knowhow is still at the cutting edge - even though Scarpetta was the prototype for most of TV's crack forensic investigators today - and her final scenes are both logical and shocking." "This is in many ways the best of the recent Scarpetta novels, boasting an involving story and some fine writing. This never-stop action plot is yet another gift to readers from Patricia Cornwell-a literary artist that is never going to stop writing some of the best and most memorable thrillers out there." Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her family and friends just keep growing as characters, and Cornwell's plots are still taut and tangled. VERDICT Deduction is the key to solving this mystery, and Scarpetta fans will relish this nail-biting novel, Cornwell's debut with publisher Morrow." "Dr. Kay Scarpetta... [is] an awesome force in the field of forensic science." "Bestseller Cornwell's thrilling 22nd novel featuring Dr. Kay Scarpetta . pits the chief medical examiner against a threat uncomfortably close to home. is an unslacking commitment to doing their jobs right-getting to the bottom of things, in Scarpetta's case; providing complexity and depth and suspense and thrills, in Cornwell's. This is in many ways the best of the recent Scarpetta novels, boasting an involving story and some fine writing. Everyone knows Scarpetta; she has the wit, intelligence, and strength that any forensic sleuth should own. This never-stop action plot is yet another gift to readers from Patricia Cornwell-a literary artist that is never going to stop writing some of the best and most memorable thrillers out there. Bestseller Cornwell s thrilling 22nd novel featuring Dr. Kay Scarpetta . pits the chief medical examiner against a threat uncomfortably close to home. Dr. Kay Scarpetta [is] an awesome force in the field of forensic science. In her twenty-second Scarpetta novel, Cornwell s forensic knowhow is still at the cutting edge - even though Scarpetta was the prototype for most of TV s crack forensic investigators today - and her final scenes are both logical and shocking. VERDICT Deduction is the key to solving this mystery, and Scarpetta fans will relish this nail-biting novel, Cornwell s debut with publisher Morrow. Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her family and friends just keep growing as characters, and Cornwell s plots are still taut and tangled. is an unslacking commitment to doing their jobs right-getting to the bottom of things, in Scarpetta s case; providing complexity and depth and suspense and thrills, in Cornwell s. I should warn you that there s a cliffhanger ending.
Reviews
"I missed the freshness of the first years when we met Kay, Marino, Bentley, and then Lucy. So to old fans or to newcomers to the series this took will prove a new years treat."
"I understand new readers need insight, but make it more intriguing, less explaining so people will want to buy the whole series to catch up instead of the repeat of your dedicated fans."
"Like many others, I suppose, I was first drawn to the Scarpetta series because of the fascinating mysteries that were being solved by forensics. When I began reading Flesh and Blood, I could only think of how very elitist, arrogant and egotistical Scarpetta has become.And how Lucy and Benton have both grown so very elusive and taciturn. Cornwell often uses a present tense narrative device as means to create tension and immediacy."
"I absolutely will not be tricked into buying another--very tired of Lucy the Wonder Girl, but mostly of the world of Dr. Scarpetta who is so important that bad guys seeks her out as a target and go to unbelievably extraordinary means to rub her out."
"I invested time wading through this, only to find...no finish...so I have to buy the next book?"
"Now, I'll look in a bookstore copy--if I feel sufficiently motivated, which I may not--to look at the next Cornwell Scarpetta book to see if I can tell just where it picks up and if it will actually conclude when I plowed through it to the end. In case you can't tell, this once-fan of this series was totally turned off by this latest book."
"I really enjoyed Cornwell's earlier Scarpetta novels."
"This seems like a disjointed unfinished rough about three chapters short of a decent ending."
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Best Covey, Stephen R.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Signature Series: Insights from Stephen R. Covey
This Signature Series is an unmissable audiobook companion to Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People . Dr. Stephen R. Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority, teacher, author, organizational consultant, and co-founder and vice chairman of Franklin Covey Co.
Reviews
"or read something profound and just sit dumbfounded, going "Wow," and you have to take a moment to reflect on it? Ways you can start to shift your thinking by taking an emotional inventory of your life and what you're doing/feeling every day. This book is about the untouchable part of your human spirit that no one besides you controls. This book is about carrying sunny weather with you where ever you go, learning how much a proactive attitude benefits you, and really how sad and wasteful it is to walk through life allowing things to ruin your day."
"Great advice for anyone who wants to get ahead in life."
"The one good use for my old van tape deck."
"Classic self-help book."
"Arrived on time, product as described!"
"Great as Stephen always delivers."
"good book, good sharing of ideas."
"Good for office manager's, employee's, your life."
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Best Crichton, Michael

Jurassic Park: A Novel
In Jurassic Park , Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying technothriller. An island off Costa Rica will soon be the world's most ambitious theme park--a dinosaur preserve.
Reviews
"They brought the dinosaurs back to life on an island, intending to make them into an amusement park or zoo of sorts."
"In the end, Crichton was a creative genius, taking thoroughly researched science and marrying it to fantastical imagination, adding a dose of wit and wisdom, he left us with stories to share and enjoy and learn from (both scientifically and morally) for generations to come, and Jurassic Park was his magnum opus: the testimony to everything that he did best."
"Being related to a grandfather with money and OCD eccentricity; I could vividly see the tantrums and fits about instant gratification and the fact that he (Mr. Hammond) would let no one thwart his dream!"
"Having seen the movie will spoil some of the beats in the book, but knowing they're coming makes a few of them better."
"Grew up reading this, lost my paperback, so bought the kindle version."
"He fails, but the dinosaurs wind up attacking a small circle of scientists and family he has brought to the island in the hope they will both enjoy the experience he has created and recommend it to the public at large."
"While not quite the story that the movie went with, it Is a well written story with interesting characters and realistic dinosaurs."
"The novel is wild from start to finish, one mystery after another based on mathematical, scientific, theoretical foreshadowing but never once do you know what shape the end will take."
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