I see part of your point, Jason, when it comes to these prolific authors, like Higgins Clark, Roberts and Patterson.

Yet, for me, that is part of their appeal. After a few disappointing novels that didn't live up to their jackets, I want a sure thing.

The books may not leave me speechless like most of Jodi Picoult's works or make me rush to call my mother and tell her to put it on her list like the works of Wally Lamb, but they satisfy. They are like McDonald's. Consistently delivering exactly what you expect, and just one part of a healthy reading diet.

And now for something completely different...

I've got nothing but praise for "An Egg on Three Sticks" by Jackie Moyer Fischer (ISBN 9780312317751).

Its heroine Abby tugs at the heartstrings. She reminded me of Astrid in "White Oleander" or Carrie in "Me and Emma" or Katie in "Durable Goods." These are girls carrying some heavy loads, captured perfectly by their creators. Abby's usage of the word "which" is so believably teen I was charmed from the start.

"Egg" is a portrait of a family coping with a mother's mental illness, and all that that entails. The emotional roller coaster Abby rides captivates the reader. Her love for her mom, her feelings of guilt, her desire to be "normal."

You won't want to put it down.

- Tricia Ambrose