Christine's Book Corner

Summary from Goodreads Catch a fallen star... Tristan Thorn promised to bring back a fallen star. So he sets out on a journey to fulfill the request of his beloved, the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester - and stumbles into the enchanted realm that lies beyond the wall of his English country town. Rich with adventure and magic,  Stardust  is one of master storyteller Neil Gaiman's most beloved tales, and the inspiration for the hit movie. My Thoughts:  I had no idea this book was a movie until I was halfway through reading it.  Having said that, I have to see the movie now (and not only because Ben Barnes is in it), but because I hope that the movie is better than the book. Gaiman's writing in this book had be hooked at the beginning and I was really looking forward to where it was heading and then just like that, the book lost me.  I began to lose interest and found myself skimming through some of the chapters.  Too much ...

Title:  Flowers in the Attic Author: V.C. Andrews Photo from goodreads.com Synopsis: The Dollanganger family seem like an ordinary family to their friends in Gladstone, PA.  Four children who many consider being perfect, with a loving mother and father.  Nothing could ever go wrong.  Or could it?   Everything changes the day the father dies suddenly in a car crash.  The mother, desperate for money when she finds out her late husband left her with nothing at the time of his death, writes to her parents.  Waiting and hoping that her mother will help her out in her time of need.  The children never heard of these grandparents, but when the mother explains how her parents are rich, the kids can't wait to live a life of luxury.  However, they will soon learn there are many secrets within their family and that their grandparents aren't whom they seem.  When they arrive at their grandparents' house, the children h...

Title: The Burning Author: Jane Casey Photo from Goodreads.com Synopsis: The Burning Man.  He's the serial killer that has the people of London terrified.  Finding young woman, killing them, and then burning their bodies beyond recognition.  With four bodies already found through the course of five months, a fifth body is found.  Is it The Burning Man's work, or that of a copycat killer? Maeve Kerrigan is on the murder task force and has been following the cases of these women.  She wants The Burning man caught before he can kill again.  She wants to show the others on the force that she is more than just a pretty face and that she deserves to be on the force just as much as they do.  With the fifth murder, she hopes that she can break the case and finally be respected.  Rebecca Haworth is the latest victim and Maeve is determined to find the murderer.  She believes it wasn't The Burning Man who killed her....

Title: Salt to the Sea Author: Ruta Sepetys Rating: * * * * * Photo taken from Goodreads.com Summary:  Taken from Goodreads Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets. Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war. As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom. Yet not all promises can be kept. Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope. My Thoughts: Four secrets.  You know right off that this book is going to revolve around four secrets from four different people that have their paths cross.  You can't help but to wonder what it is t...

Photo taken from Goodreads.com       Title:  Everybody's Fool Author: Richard Russo Rating: * * Summary:  Taken from Goodreads.com The irresistible Sully, who in the intervening years has come by some unexpected good fortune, is staring down a VA cardiologist’s estimate that he has only a year or two left, and it’s hard work trying to keep this news from the most important people in his life: Ruth, the married woman he carried on with for years . . . the ultra-hapless Rub Squeers, who worries that he and Sully aren’t  still  best friends . . . Sully’s son and grandson, for whom he was mostly an absentee figure (and now a regretful one). We also enjoy the company of Doug Raymer, the chief of police who’s obsessing primarily over the identity of the man his wife might’ve been about to run off with,  before  dying in a freak accident . . . Bath’s mayor, the former academic Gus Moynihan, whose wife problems are, i...