ksparks's reviews
1677 reviews

Affinity by Sarah Waters

5.0

Sarah Waters is hands down the best author I have ever read. 5 stars is really not enough for this book. Affinity is suspenseful, intelligent, erotic and totally unpredictable, like all of Sarah Waters books. I have read Affinity at least 3 times, and I'm sure I will read it again. This one, of all of her books, comes the closest to being a horror story. Don't let that dissuade you though. This is a roller coaster of a book and the beautiful craft of Sarah Water's storytelling will pull you through it...

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

5.0

This is probably my favorite romantic novel of all times. It reminds me of a female Tom Jones--a rollicking adventure story for lesbians. But the writing is so good that no matter what your sexual orientation, you should read this book.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

5.0

I worship the ground Sarah Waters walks on. She is a storyteller like none other. I would put her in the ranks of authors like Dickens, Poe, John Fowles or Henry Fielding except that for me she is much more thrilling than these authors. She's a woman writing about lesbians in history and telling stories with personal relevance to me! I love love love the UK film adaptation of this book--I've seen it four times now. I think it says something that Sarah Waters books translate so easily into film--it is because her plot lines are so intricate and well-constructed. Above all she is a story-teller, a quality that is rare in authors these days.

Grange House by Sarah Blake

4.0

The first time I read this book, I was enthralled. This book has an over-the-top Gothic plot. It's romantic, it's a ghost story. It's Victorian and creepy and suspenseful and interesting. It's no Jane Eyre, but it definitely aspires to be and frankly, I was happy just to read a contemporary novel that makes the attempt. I re-read this recently, and this time I did a lot of skimming since I knew what was going to happen, and the melodrama stretched my patience. Still, it is an interesting read.

The Necessary Hunger by Nina Revoyr

5.0

This is one of the best books I've ever read. I read it several years ago and it has stuck with me all these years. I read it again and found it just as powerful. There are so many interesting things about this novel--it completely captures the experience of unrequited love, the characters are so well-drawn that you come to know not just the main characters but even minor characters. This novel has a powerful sense of place. It is clear that Nina Revoyr loves Los Angeles, and she is writing about a world she knows and loves. The novel sensitively covers all kinds of issues without seeming like an "issues" novel. The pace is slow and deliberate--and yet somehow creates emotional suspense. This novel broke my heart, but in a good way.

Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis by Rowan Jacobsen

5.0

I bring home plenty of nonfiction books, but I almost never read them. After a few pages my eyes glaze over and I switch to fiction. This book was a huge surprise to me. I picked it up because I really wanted to know what was going on with the bees disappearing. I thought that I would just skim it and read the conclusion. It turned out to be a total page-turner. I stayed up late, I read the whole book in a couple of days. It's funny, it's suspenseful, it's really well-written. And it contains information that we as a society really need to know. I want everybody to read it.

A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss

5.0

This is the best book I have read in the past couple of years. I read it because it was recommended by Sarah Waters, my other favorite contemporary author. It's a historical mystery, set in 18th century London. It is the result of the author's PhD research, and is amazing both in content and style. It is a gripping story, well written, and feels as if it could have been written in the 18th century.

The Anti 9 to 5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube by Michelle Goodman

3.0

I'm enjoying this--she is very funny and I would definitely recommend this book to people who want to move from full time employment to a freelance career.

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell

4.0

I found this unexpectedly gripping. It's told in a nonlinear way from many points of view, a story about love and grief.

Twilight Children: Three Voices No One Heard Until a Therapist Listened by Torey Hayden

3.0

I really like Torey Hayden's books, especially the books about her early work in special education. Somehow they seem a bit more formulaic now and the publisher always adds ridiculous subtitles...still I think she is a really amazing woman and I find her work fascinating.