Rating: 
Summary: Something Different
Review: This is not the typical Baldacci story, and some of his fans may be disapointed, but I found this to be a great tale of hope and love. Mr. Baldacci is truely writing from his heart here. I hope this book is not lost in the shuffle since the author chose to leave his genre? I just read an interesting thriller adventure "A Tourist in the Yucatan" you might want to check it out.
Rating: 
Summary: Baldacci Bombs
Review: I should be a Baldaccci expert since I've read them all. This was the worst. The first part of the book drags. The reader expects "page turners." I was turning in hopes of an interesting plot developing. Mom's in a coma and oh please don't tell us she's going to wake up when the day needs saving! But that day is so terribly implausible. What was the geologist doing hanging around the court so he could spill the beans? How could Hugh Miller think that natural gas in a pipeline would ruin the environment like logging and coal? Wasn't he suppose to be a smart lawyer? David, go back to suspense where you excel.
Rating: 
Summary: Uncalled-for efforts
Review: Although the plot and the characters are fine, if not especially original, the uncalled-for efforts to elevate the style and enrich it with exaggerated imagery, result sometimes in a very overwrought, irritating prose.It's a pity the author had not been more natural and modest.
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Summary: Life in the Virginia mountains in the forties.
Review: Louisa Mae Cardinal is a talented writer who, with her brother Oz and her sick mother, go to live in the Virginia mountains in the 1940's. They live in a house with the matriarch of the family, Louisa's great-grandmother, who is in her eighties. Their life is strictly no-frills. They have no electricity and no plumbing facilities. Money is scarce for this troubled family and their future looks bleak. A series of tragedies and challenges tests the mettle of these characters and the book's climax is a courtroom scene that will determine the future of the Cardinal family. Although the writing is competent and the characters are engaging, the book did not hold my interest throughout. I found the pace slow-moving and the ending was somewhat trite and predictable. Baldacci's heart is in the right place and I applaud his efforts at writing a novel that is so different from the suspense genre that made him famous. However, as a coming-of-age novel, this book is less successful than the novel it most resembles--Harper Lee's great coming-of-age story, "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Rating:
Summary: Great characters, predictable plot, a bit overwritten
Review: I'm of two minds about this book. The main characters were all people I'd enjoy meeting, which of course means I was caught up in their stories. (I particularly liked the moments when Baldacci captured the "little boy-ness" of Oz, instead of making him speak like a forty year old man.)The characters are what kept me reading, because the predictability of the plot was disappointing. The only thing that happened that I didn't expect were the deaths of a couple of important characters. To me, the lack of surprises was detrimental to the book's impact. More than the predictability of the plot, though, I found the writing style distracting. There were many moments when I was brought up short by some very clunky, obvious writing. I haven't read any of Mr. Baldacci's other writing, so I don't know if this was the result of trying out a new genre (and therefore writing style) or if this is found in all of his writing. But there were too many passages that read like the author was simply trying too hard and therefore failing almost completely. (I would quote examples, but the library's copies are all checked out.) He would get me very involved in what was happening, but then he would lose me for pages at a time because of awkward phrasing, overwriting, or almost juvenile prose. Recommended if you enjoy characters more than plot or style.
Rating:
Summary: Departure for Baldacci
Review: David Baldacci leaves behind his usual courtroom glitz for the rural '40's in this tale of reconstructing a family. Good characters, intersting settings, and a well-played out courtroom drama pull this story together. Not a bad read, but if one truly wants to read this type of story, I would highly recommend TAKING LOTTIE HOME, by Terry Kay.
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Summary: Avid reader in Alaska
Review: Though a complete departure from Baldacci's suspense style this is a wonderful story, beautifully told.
Rating:
Summary: "A Risk Well Taken"
Review: Very few authors have the courage to deviate from a successful formula. Although it may be politically incorrect to relate it, this book had all the signs of being a "chick book". Nevertheless, my enjoyment of his previous works obligated me to give Wish You Well a read. The result was a fascinating experience. When a writer allows you to know the characters, feel the envirornment,smile at the dialogue, and wipe a pleasant tear from your face, you know you have been touched by a gifted artist.
Rating:
Summary: Nostalgic
Review: I am a Baldacci fan and did not get what I expected when I got the book but am not disapointed. I grew up during the depression and although in a different part of the country, can easily relate to the story. Times were tough but the will of the people saw us through. The book tells a warm story and is an excellent read for anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Not my favorite
Review: I have read all of Baldacci's books and they were all terrific. This one however leaves a lot to be desired. Is he trying to get on Oprah's book club? The characters are not even interesting. I can't belive that I read the whole book but I did because I kept searching for a plot that never happened.
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