Your favorite characters are there, of course: Claire, Jamie, Roger, Brianna, etc. along with plenty of new characters who seem immediately familiar and welcome (such as the Hunter family). Lord John features prominently in this book for those of you who’ve been reading her side series about him.

I’ve NOT read them and yet found it easy enough to follow his story line.

If you haven’t read any of her books before, they’re sweeping action/adventure/romance novels  primarily set in Scotland and America with tons of historical and medical references. These are not light reads and they’re not Harlequin romances. Characters are complex, relationships are sometimes painful and circumstances are often bloody and/or gruesome.

While most of the readers of this series are probably female, I do know men who’ve enjoyed them as well. There are enough battle scenes and talk of honor and revenge that most guys will find something that appeals to them.

Of course, the thing that shines through these novels the strongest is the relationship between Claire and Jamie. Star crossed lovers to be sure, but their love for each other seems to be so rich and deep that you almost eat these books up with a spoon.

She tells this story from a variety of characters’ perspectives, which is something that I enjoy about George RR Martin and Christopher Paolin’s books as well. If you feel like you’re getting bored/weary with one character, just keep reading, odds are good that you’ll soon get to read about someone/something else.

What “The Reader” has that “The Graduate” does not, is a great plot twist that makes us think, even as it sets you reeling. It’s also incredibly short and easy to read.

While it’s romantic, is it for women only? Definitely not. Much like “The Graduate”, my guess is that “The Reader” probably appeals nearly as much to men as to women.

The story is told from a young man’s perspective who’s vulnerable and foolish. Our heroine is not your typical soft and feminine lady. While the characters may not catch your fancy or engender your sympathies, they will draw you in.

If you like “The Reader”, check out “The Book Thief”, a more mature, more complex cousin.

Turns out, he knows a lot. While at first, I was a bit alarmed that this was going to be a VC Andrews-esque use of a small coal town in Virginia, my fears quickly proved unfounded. Baldacci does use the Appalachain mountains as a character in this novel and he does it well.

Lou and Oz (sister and brother) are charming but it’s Louisa, the great-grandmother, of the novel who will capture your heart. This is not a funny novel; in fact, I was crying by the end of the first chapter (of course, I cry easily). It doesn’t get a whole lot happier as the book continues.

Coal mining and farming have to be two of the harder professions, and the book brings the risks and rewards of them sharply into focus. If you’ve ever wondered why someone would stick with small farming when the money is so unreliable and the work is back-breaking, read this book.

My only complaint would have to be about the mountain lion. That seemed a bit over the top (it also seems to be a theme, I had the same issue with “Low Country“).

Like “The Notebook“, “Water for Elephants” is taking place in both the present (as an old man) and in the past (when he was young). While there is a strong love story, this is NOT what I’d call a chick book. There’s plenty of blood and guts to appeal to male readers (I wouldn’t suggest this book to someone who gets queasy easily).

If you like “Water for Elephants”, you might also enjoy “The Mermaid Chair” by Sue Monk Kidd or “I Know This Much Is True” by Wally Lamb. Be forewarned that Lamb’s book is a slower read than “Water for Elephants”.

And for fantastic fiction (that is incredibly well researched) on most any topic, check out Jodi Picoult (click here to read my review of her book “My Sister’s Keeper“).

Liesel can’t read, but her adoptive father, Hans, teaches her.

The story takes awkwards twists and turns that somehow just work with the story. You grow to love Liesel even as you hate what is happening to her town and in her life. Her adoptive mother appears hateful and then somehow gains your affections.

There’s a lot to love about this book. It’s a sizable tome, so don’t pick it up if you’re scared of large books. It has occasional sidebars from Death that I grew to enjoy (but I can see how some people find them distracting). What it says about the human spirit is what matters.

Someone has compared this to “Life of Pi” and I disagree thoroughly. While “Pi” is interesting and off the wall, it’s not a concrete story to latch onto and love.

I highly recommend “The Book Thief“. It’s absolutely worth the time to sit down and explore Liesel’s world.

I love how Follet isn’t afraid to write characters as complex villians and he also carefully builds his heroes. You will enjoy getting to know them and their interactions.

This book does have a number of graphic depictions of a whorehouse, so be aware of that. This is not a book I would recommend for young teens (if I had to give it a movie rating, I would probably give it an NC-17 rating). The plot moves quickly, the characters are interesting and it’s a nice piece of historical-esque fiction.

It’s not a book that makes you think, but it is one that most readers will enjoy for its pace and texture. Of course, if you’re going to read any Follet novel, you should start with “Pillars of the Earth”.

If you’re a huge “Pillars” fan, it’s worth reading “World” but I will say that it seemed darker to me. “Pillars of the Earth” is no laugh a minute, but somehow there is a lighter balance between the good and evil. Even in the sections that seem hopeless, where the “bad guys” are triumphing and appear to continue to triumph, you feel sure that it will all come out right in the end. I didn’t feel the same hope while reading “World”. While it was still wonderfully engaging and with a mix of intriguing characters, there was a relentless bleakness that dampened my enthusiasm for reading.

Still it will draw you in and you’ll want to read through to the end. There’s a character to remind you of Alienna, another who is a bit like Jack. What’s lacking is a Prior Phillip or Tom Builder like character – a character of such moral fiber and dignity that you feel better for having read about them. Strangely enough, I believe that Follet did a suberb job again of painting a supremely evil character. I find it a bit sad that he can continue to paint a villain so vividly but seems to have lost his ability to write a great righteous character to balance it out.

If you liked “Pillars of the Earth”, you’ll likely enjoy “World” and you should check out George RR Martin’s “Game of Thrones” (part of the Ice and Fire series).

All characters are touched by tuberculosis in some way. Some are sick and “curing” at a large sanitorium. Others are sick and have the money to stay in private homes. Some are doctors, nurses or owners of “cure homes”. Ms. Barrett does a good job of writing from both the male and female characters’ point of view.

How historically accurate is this book? I don’t know the answer to that, though you will feel like Ms. Barrett must have done some extensive homework. There’s a little suspense, a small dose of romance but mostly the book is about being away from home and about relationships.

If you’d like to read a more “thrilling” book about a historical illness outbreak, I would highly recommend “The Cruelest Miles” or “The Hot Zone”. “Miles” is about the diptheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska which made Balto a household name. “Zone” is about Ebola and is the most disgusting book that I’ve ever read (but it’s worth the gag factor).

This is not a work of non-fiction. While Gregory tries to stay true in general and cites an impressive bibliography, there are plenty of suppositions and inaccuracies. It’s still a good story and fairly quick moving. The middle drags a bit as we wait, with the court, to see what will happen next.

If you like this, you’d also enjoy “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostovo, “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon or my favorite, “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follet. If you love political intrigue, you won’t be able to beat “A Game of Thrones” by George RR Martin (warning: it is a series and you WILL be hooked!). If you’re just into royalty, you might enjoy Queen Noor’s autobiography.

Thanks to Laura H for recommending and to my Mom-in-Law for buying me this book!