Dusting off this thread...
Read Mitch Albom's "The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto". A couple of paragraphs in, I though it was going to be a rip-off of "The Book Thief" (one of my favorites), but it wasn't - and I ended up loving the book. Went on a Mitch Albom kick after that, and read The Timekeeper and The First Phone Call From Heaven. Both were disappointing.
Peter Mayle - A Year in Provence. Enjoyed this one; it was a memoir, so nice to be able to read a few pages at a time without getting too wrapped up.
Michael Connelly - The Crossing. Brain candy, but a good quick read while on a long flight.
Brad Meltzer - The President's Shadow. I used to really enjoy his stuff, but this one left me wondering if he's now letting other people do the writing for him. I'd love to get those few hours of my life back.
Dean Koontz - Ashley Bell. Another few hours that I'd like back from an author that I *used* to enjoy.
Just checked out "The Girl in the Spider's Web" from the library and hoping that one won't be another disappointment. I have mixed feelings about another author continuing this series, but curiosity finally got the best of me!