If you want to get away from the s#@t on the news and just enjoy the day, dive into a Fannie Flagg book and you will be delivered. That woman could write about garbage day and make it nostalgic. Here's another of her warm baths, as lovely and sweet as can be. F. F. comes through again.

This moves along nicely, keeping one invested. I try not to compare, but inevitably do. Maybe if you're a horsy person, this one will be your favorite. I guess I relate to the wrinkly-skinned ones myself. Still, a great read.

Well, as we all know now, the Golden State Killer has been found, caught, and is cooling his heels in prison while still plying his psychopathic trade. I was fascinated by this story, as his spree began in my hometown. Michelle's obsession was probably part of a larger force that kept momentum going and ultimately resulted in his capture, but the fact that Joseph DeAngelo had been arrested when I read the book rendered the theories listless and moot. Not her fault at all, just how it goes. And, of course, now she's gone. Rest in peace, Michelle, and know that you had a part in catching this monster.

I was so looking forward to this as another potential dystopian masterpiece a la the unforgettable The Handmaid's Tale. While the writing is good, the plot revs and revs, only to flop disappointingly at the end.

Oh, Tim. After watching him on countless seasons of Project Runway, with his classy yet dorky persona, I was intrigued to learn more about the man behind the debonair face. How can someone so handsome and poised also be so approachable? Yet that's how he always seemed on the show. Well, he's all that and more. After reading this book, I want to be his friend, neighbor, door person, or driver. It's pretty darned impressive that someone with that kind of star power maintains such a strong desire to just be a nice person. He's the real deal. Sigh.

This story isn't completely implausible, given the era in which it is set. It's thought-provoking, and if we're completely honest, one wonders what we would have done in each of the characters' positions. Although there are times when you want to scream at the person on the page, there is warmth.

Insufferably self-absorbed. Pointless. Hated it.

This is a helpful and insightful guide for anyone who is, or is connected with, a woman who is a survivor of child sexual abuse. And the sad thing is, that's most of us.

Ms. Kingsolver delivered in this book interweaving romance, natural science, and sociology. I found it interesting and entertaining.

Not with the current goings-on, anyway. Charlotte was surely ahead of her time! Her collection of short stories (the most recent of which was written in 1916) must have rattled the status quo a bit--imagine the thought of a woman having a mind--scandalous! Although the flagship story in this book is Herland, it was my least favorite. In contrast to most of the other stories, it was long and frankly, a bit boring. The others were fresh (even now) and optimistic. Fingers crossed that we get there someday.

I guess this should make sense. But it's quite shocking to see the numbers of how many families comprise our criminals. It's mind-boggling. This is scary information and acting on it could mean the end to most crime or the biggest mistake ever. You decide.

In this itty-bitty book, Ms. Roberts-Miller aspires to enlighten the common folk regarding avoiding the tendency to band-wagon (ah, so tempting). However, she does so with sparkling intelligence, wit, candor and compassion. And really hard words. (Not sure about you, but, for example, the phrase "tu quoque" isn't tossed about in my everyday lingo.) She thoughtfully gives us a little glossary at the end of the book, but I still felt stupid and realized that's why she wrote the book and I didn't. I could (and should) read it again, and just might do that.