As Hot As It Was You Ought to Thank Me
(This review first appeared in February 2005) Rating: As Hot As It Was You Ought to Thank Me, by Nanci Kincaid. Back Bay Books (2005), 384 pages. Many literary fiction readers undoubtedly missed out on this book due to the unwieldy chick-lit like title and...
A Reliable Wife
Rating: A Reliable Wife, by Robert Goolrick. Algonquin (2009), 291 pages. Goolrick’s novel is set in rural Wisconsin in the early 1900s—a time period and location I am most definitely interested in. And the plot involves St. Louis opium dens, sex,...About Us
The Book Shark began as an independent book review website created by Cindy Pinto and Donna Long in 2002.
From the beginning our goal was not only to write great reviews, but also to recognize the most well-written books we read each year with an award...
Gustine Awards
The Gustine Awards were named in honor of the main character in one of our favorite books—The Dress Lodger, by Sheri Holman. Awards have been given out yearly since 2002 in three categories: fiction, nonfiction, and memoir...
Cover Art
A book’s cover is as important as the writing within it. We are aware that this may offend some authors who have toiled for years on their books and believe their words are the only thing that matters...
Reader Reviews
What’s the best or worst book you’ve ever read? What’s the most recent book that you’ve had a strong reaction to? Send us your thoughts, and we’ll post them in this spot.