justbeforedinner_Book Reviews

Welcome to the "justbeforedinner.co.nz book reviews". If you want to see what books we hated and rated badly, you are on the wrong site. We prefer to give reviews on books that we have enjoyed and hopefully you may be interested in too. Life's too short to read bad books! We have also made a page where you can search your local library to see if the books are available.

Title: Southern Lights
Author: Danielle Steel

Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3/5

Southern Lights was easy reading and although it wasn't action packed I couldn't put it down. Danielle Steel fans will be pleased with this... Click for more...

Title: My Steve.
Author: Terri Irwin

Genre: Non -Fiction
Rating: Sad

“As I write this, I am still waiting for Steve to walk through the door. His toothbrush is in the bathroom…”Click for more...

Title: Ripley's Virtual Odditorium
Author: Ripley's Believe it or not

Genre: Non -Fiction
Rating: Odd

Ripley's Believe it or not has always often entertained us with the weird and wonderful and the Virtual Odditorium is no exception.. Click for more...

Title: The Birthing House
Author: Christopher Ransom

Genre: Fiction Horror
Rating: petrifying

When a 100-year-old photo album from the house appears and Conrad discovers one of the women is his current wife things really start getting frightening... Click for more...

Title: The Secret Life of Bees"
Author: Sue Monk Kidd

Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 pots of honey

Living with a bitter and abusive father and consumed by the knowledge that she killed her mother, Lily's life is lonely and sometimes painful.... Click for more...

Title: Marley and Me
Author: John Grogan

Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: at least 2 paws

Un-nerved by the premature death of their house plants, John and Jenny Grogan have concerns about becoming parents. They decide they should experiment with a puppy first. . Click for more...

Title: "What's Happening to me?"
Author: Peter Mayle
Genre: Parental help
Rating: 4/5

Peter Mayle makes explaining puberty easy and relaxed. With serious content presented in a easy to read way. Click for more...

Title: Punished
Author: Vanessa Steel

Genre: Non fiction/Memoir
Rating: Shocking

When mothers don't love their children the outcome can be horrifying.... Click for more...

Title: Murder by Family
Author: Kent Whitaker

Genre: True Crime
Rating: Wow!

Imagine if your surviving son turned out to be the mind behind the murder of your family?.... Click for more...

Title: "A Child Called It"
Author: Dave Pelzer

Genre: Non fiction/Memoir
Rating: 4/5

This is one of those books you wish you had never read but you can't put it down. Dave had a horrifying childhood at the hands of his sadistic, alcoholic mother. Click for more...

Title: Rachel's Holiday
Author: Marian Keyes

Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5

This is a seriously funny book about a girl that has a guy, a great flat, a good job and endless fun... until she is wrongly sent to a drug rehab centre! Click for more...

Title: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Author: Roald Dahl

Genre: Children

Rating: 4/5

The second book about Charlie and the chocolate factory. When we left Charlie and Willy Wonka they had taken off through the roof! Click for more...

Title: The Value of Believing in Yourself'
Author: Spencer Johnson, M.D.

Genre: Children
Rating: 5/5

Louis Pasteur believed he could make a cure for rabies even when people made fun of him. When a very sick little boy arrives on his doorstep Louis has to take a chance on himself... Click for more...

Tell us what you have enjoyed reading lately. We would love to hear from you! Contact us...