Gossip of the Starlings, by Nina de Gramont

Sort of a more literary-minded version of Gossip Girl. Soapy, but with a serious undertone.

The Pleasure Of My Company, by Steve Martin

I didn't love Shopgirl all that much (though I have enjoyed Martin's plays) so I was prepared not to like this one. And I kinda did. Not really, but it was engaging and by the end I cared what happened to the main character and his disorder. It makes me want to read more about OCD and the like.

The Unquiet, by John Connolly

I like reading Connolly's creepy, slightly fantastical books, but I confess that by the end I am usually pretty tired of the creepiness.

Damage Control, by Robert Dugoni

Bad. Just a bad book.

Lush Life, by Richard Price

I don't really remember much about this book, which is a bad sign, since it's not just a throw-away thriller.

The Bad Seed, by William March

I read this because Stephen King told me to in his column for Entertainment Weekly. I find he rarely leads me astray, at least as far as books are concerned. Totally creepy and a little bit terrifying.

Lie Down In Darkness, by William Styron

It was really neat to read this just after Sophie's Choice, since the first novel Stingo is working on is clearly inspired by this, Styron's first novel. I didn't enjoy it as much, but it was still a good read. The south is so clear in his writing, and the characters so damaged.

Sophie's Choice, by William Styron

I love this book, and I read it every 5 years or so, probably. Happened to catch the movie, which inspired the re-read, and then my getting some other Styron books out of the library.

Definitely harder to read the parts about her children now that we've got Clara.

The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly

A second Mickey Haller book, in which he and Harry Bosch butt heads and discover things. I always love Connelly, but I think I would have liked this more if the perspective had shifted from Haller to Bosch. Haller's just not as compelling a character for me.

The Ruins, by Scott Smith

This is a re-read. I like Smith's books. They're all about how extreme situations reveal us in ways we might not prefer. This one is especially creepy, with an element of fantasy that adds to the tension and gives the story an unpredictability that I enjoyed.

The Gate House, by Nelson De Mille

This is a sort of sequel to The Gold Coast, written and taking place 10 or 15 years later. It's basically the same story, updated for the times and with a few tweaks here and there. Still enjoyed it.

The Gold Coast, by Nelson De Mille

Chris and I both read this, and we do enjoy DeMille, though we both agreed it was a little predictable, and occasionally we don't buy the actions of the main characters. But they're otherwise interesting, engaging characters, and I always want to know what's going to happen with them.

Lady Killer, by Lisa Scottoline

One of the Mary DiNunzio books. I go back and read a Scottoline every now and then when there's not anything else around to read. I don't think she's a very good writer. Her characters are wholly unbelievable and frequently do stupid things that advance the story, but that take you out of it as you consider their stupidity.

Indignation, by Philip Roth

My first Roth, inspired by a Facebook quiz that asked "Roth or Updike?" and I had no answer, having read neither. Didn't love this book, and I'm planning to read some older Roth to see if it's him, or just the book.

Rough Weather, by Robert Parker

More of the same fabulous Parker stuff. Love everything he does.

Two Minute Rule, by Robert Crais

So, I read this ages ago and I remember nothing, so I decided I would just say that, rather than look up a synopsis. It is a basic thriller, I guess. Not super-memorable, though I confess that I don't tend to remember those kinds of books much anyway, unless I really connect to the character, or it's part of a series. The Gabriel Alon books are an example of that.

City Of Thieves, by David Benioff

Liked this one a lot. I read it as part of an online book club, which is fantastic. Each person take a month, picks 3 books, we vote, we read, and we discuss. It's a perfect, no pressure situation, and as much as I think I would enjoy a real life book club, this is much better suited for life right now.

Anyway, this book is a WWII story about unlikely friends, unlikely heroes, served up with a pretty harsh description of what it was like in Russia. You don't hear much about Russia in WWII lit, and it was really interesting.