Guest Reviewer Bios

Donnamarie is a happy single mother of three. Her true love is in over-committing herself to her children and finds time to read before and after chauffeuring them to their activities. She enjoys a wide spectrum of printed material, including fiction, non-fiction, parenting, spiritual, do-it-herself, political, family literature that she can enjoy with her children, and all the news stories she can get. The remainder of her time is spent proving that she can manage a house without (much) help from men (except for the mowing, thanks Dad). She lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Donnamarie’s Top Ten Books Ever List The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingslover I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb ‘Tis by Frank McCourt Let Me Hear Your Voice by Catherine Maurice The Witches by Roald Dahl

Patty has had a long love affair with books since she obtained her first library card at age 10. Her summer time hobby was reading for hours while seated in the lap of tree branches. In college Patty was required to read world literature including epic poems and other classics, and though the pieces were not always her favorites, they helped define her tastes. Favorite authors are John Grisham, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Steinbeck, J.K. Rowling, Charlotte Bronte, Louisa May Alcott, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tony Hillerman, to name a few. While teaching elementary school, Patty renewed her interest in children’s' books and began a collection of The Caldecott Award winners for illustrations. A favorite is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, and she is a devotee of Harry Potter. Currently retired, Patty makes good use of the local library, watches for new best sellers, and admits to enjoying "fluff" books as well. Patty lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Patty's Top Ten Books Ever List The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien Jane Eyre by Jane Austin Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisters by Rebecca Wells Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks Almost Perfect by Dianne Blacklock Helen of Troy by Margaret George