B. Joyce “The Third Heiress”

Really amazing, gripping story about young woman. The novel proves that everything which is done is done for better.

Anna Golovina

W. Somerset Maugham “The Painted Veil”

I think it is one of the best novels I’ve ever read!
It concerns many aspects of life: love, betrayal, generosity. It is a story of a man worthy of that name. I guess some people will be moved to tears reading this novel as the author tried to show the life as it is without embroidering it so it is sad sometimes. The main characters of the story are Kitty and Wolter. They were married but Kitty didn’t love her husband and believed him to be dull and boring. Kitty fell in love with other man and betrayed Wolter. But after a while she realized what a mistake she had made. She saw the true mean nature of the man she loved and found out what a great man Wolter was. She began loving him but it was too late.I recommend you to read this novel.

Kate

Agatha Cristie "After the funeral"

"After the funeral" is a great story about members of Abernitie family and their secrets. Author in her fancy manner put us in the middle of family drama. Agatha Cristie gives us so many options to guess who is the murderer that at the end of the story you begin to suspect everyone. As usual you can't guess who is the killer to the momennt when Hercules Poirot tells everything.
This is classic mystery by the greatest mystery writer Agatha Cristie with favourite detective of millions people - Hercules Poirot.
This book is easy to read, the terminology is not dificult.
Olga Shkarupa

T. Dreiser Jennie Gerhardt

Well, I suppose nothing much can be added here, because to write something, which was written many years ago concerning the book won’t give anything new. On the whole the book is pretty much absorbing, the language is bright though easy. What else one needs? Just take it and you won’t be able to put it aside until you read it up to the end.

Nataliya

E. L. Doctorow Ragtime

I’m really fond of writers creating serious literature, for such literature deals with life. One of such serious books is this one. I spent my time enjoying it. It made me think over our life – not a bit, I must say. Wonderful though tragic outline of life of that time, brilliant description of the characters – all that drew the whole image of which a reader could not be an eyewitness, still could see the things with his mind eye. Liked it very much.

Nataliya

Oscar Wild “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

A CAPTIVATING AND IMPRESSIVE NOVEL!!!
The story of Dorian Gray is a story of a young man, who gained great success in life and is rather a negative character than a positive one. He used to enjoy the popularity among women and denied himself nothing. It was due to a magic event that happened to him one day. But at the end the author made him pay for all unfair deeds which he had done.
You’ll for sure like this story and will be fascinated by it, cause it has enough twists to capture your attention. I think the language is very easy and it is worth reading!
Kate

Stephen King "Thinner"

William Halleck a lawyer with a happy family,good husband and loving father, but he is also fifty pounds overweight and needs to lose some weight, or as his doctor keeps reminding him edging into heart-attack field. One day he runs over a gypsie's daughter, and kills her. He is cursed by the girl's father. "Thinner," he says to William. And from then on, William rapidly loses more and more weight to the point of emaciation. William may die, unless someone can do something to remove the curse. And that may take the gypsies. "
"Thinner" is one of Stephen King's best books.
Lili

Haruki Murakami "Dance Dance Dance"

Haruki Murakami is one of the most popular and controversial of today's Japanese authors. His genre-defying, humorous and surreal works is Dance, Dance, Dance written in 1988.
In Japanese fiction, plot development and action have often been of secondary interest to emotional issues and exploration of the characterʼs inner lives..
Time is a powerful character in this novel, from my westernerʼs view point the main characterʼs ability to just wait for how life will reveal his next steps is one of obscene time wealth.
Two mysteries arise, how to survive the un-survivable and the murder of a call-girl and ex-girl friend.
Shadow people come and go, Yuki the 13 year old companion, Kiki the lost girl friend continues to appear and then easily disappear calling our hero through his dreams. Sheep Man helping our protagonist to draw all the divergent lines of his life into an ordered whole.

Our main character, moves about life with no real direction, no passion, no life, just waiting to be healed and his mysteries resolved. The Dolphin Hotel, site of a tryst with Kiki who then disappears leaving the memory of the Hotelʼs attraction as the starting place for his search for closure or healing.
Sheepman, super ego, drawing all the divergent lines of our heros life into an ordered whole. His guide to wholeness, healing and resolution of themysteries.
Yuki, the13 year old girl, a damaged repository of possibility our hero begins to coax .into life, thereby healing himself and experiences the ultimate discovery of a human connection
The themes of loss and abandonment play through the book, loss of his spouse and then girlfriend Kiki heighten these issues.

The book was a pleasurable read ... the story is nothing fancy but the style and delivery was fresh...It's a whimsical theatre of philosophy delivered with just a touch of humor..
"Shovelling snow" takes on a whole new meaning.

David

Dan Brown "Digital Fortress"

"Digital Fortress" is the most realistic thriller. Susan Fletcher, cryptographer and a brilliant mathematician, is called by the agency, when the code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break. What she uncovers sents shock waves through the corridor of power. Susan fights for the agency she believe in, for her life and for the life of the man she loves.
Lili

Haikumena. Haiku Poetry Almanac

I don't like poetry, but this book have attracted my attention. This almanac is devoted to traditional japanese poetic form haiku, very nice,smart and philosophical poetry. Here you can find haikus by japanese and russian poets.
Some haikus:
real
life and death
in-between-us

we got some words
each one is like a novel
divorce,feat,homeless...

lemon slice
nears the bottom of
tea conversation...
Really great!!!!
Lili

E.T.Doctorow "Billy Bathgate"

I think this book is one of the best Doctorow's novels! Brash fifteen-year-old kid Billy Bathgate has just become part of the inner circle of magnetic gangster Dutch Schultz. Doctorow shows the world of violence, corruption, crime, love,life and death.
Lili.

Thomas Hardy “Tess of the d’Urbervilles”

I was occasionally moved to tears by this novel. It is for everyone who is looking for strong emotions. The novel will pierce your heart and occupy your soul. It is full of drama, love, at the same time it concerns betrayal, cowardice, meanness and other human frailty. The book tells the story of a poor girl. Tess was seduced by a young rich man who abandoned her afterwards. She managed to undergo severe trials and got acquainted with another young man. They fell in love with each other and there supposed to be a wedding, but…
If you want to know what happened then, take and read the book!!!
The language is full description so it is rather difficult to read.
Kate

Dan Brown "The Da Vinci Code"

I am fan of Dan Brown, the more i read, the more i had to read.
Harvard professor Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris: the elderly curator of the Lourve has been brutally murdered inside the museum. Police have found a series of codes alongside the body. Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, try to answer to a mistery that stretches deep into the history....
One of the finest mysteries!!!
Lili.

Roald Dahl “Matilda”

I was crazy about this book. I opened it and then I couldn’t tear myself away from it till I’ve read it till the very end. I’d like to recommend you to read this book. It is almost as fairy-tale but for grown-ups. If you want to escape from daily routine and to entertain yourself a little bit the book is what you are looking for!!!!
The language is very simple, but it enriches your vocabulary with a number of informal words and expressions for sure.
Matilda is a genius girl with idiot parents and she’s having a great time driving them crazy.
Kate

Bo Caldwell “The Distant Land of My Father”

It is an unforgettable novel of moving father-daughter relationship. It is written in the first person. The main character of the book is a Chinese girl whose father used to be a millionaire. The scene is set in Shanghai in the 1930s. I enjoyed reading this book very much as it is very easy to read and the language of the novel is not difficult to apprehend. The story fascinates your attention from the first lines and keeps you in constant suspense from the beginning till the very end. I would recommend you to read this book.
Kate