February 1, 2012
The Flight of Gemma Hardy
Reviewed by Janet
This surprisingly engaging novel tells the story of Gemma, orphaned and unwanted after the death of her uncle. From drudgery at school to becoming a nanny on Orkney, Gemma searches for a sense of belonging and identity. The remote settings mirror Gemma's loneliness, and draw the reader deeper into this modern telling of the Jane Eyre story.
January 25, 2012
Burnt Mountain
Reviewed by Janet
Newly married Thayer Wentworth inherits a house in Atlanta from her grandmother. Returning to the area stirs up memories from her past, memories that she must confront as her marriage is tested. A moving story of family, love, and forgiveness with well drawn, interesting characters.
January 18, 2012
What Alice Forgot
Reviewed by Janet
What if you got the chance to "do-over" a part of your life? After a fall at the gym, Alice wakes up thinking it is 10 years earlier, when she is happily pregnant with her first child. Now the mother of 3 and on the point of divorce, Alice must come to grips with the way things are now, and decide if that is what she really wants. A touching and hopeful story of second chances.
January 11, 2012
The Bricklayer
Reviewed by Janet
If you're in the mood for a thriller, this one is hard to put down. Steve Vail is a former FBI agent, called back into service to solve an extortion and murder plot which implicates the Bureau. It looks like an inside job, and Vail's tendency to work creatively gives him an edge. This face-paced story with its intricate plot make it a thrilling read.
January 4, 2012
Please Look After Mom
Reviewed by Janet
What happens to a family when Mom goes missing at Seoul Station? Chapters alternate between different family members, as well as the past and the present. While the second-person narration is unusual, it serves to draw the reader into the situation as they explore the meanings of family, happiness, and motherhood.
December 28, 2011
State of Wonder
Reviewed by Janet
Marina Singh is sent by her pharmaceutical company employer to the Amazon, to determine the status of a long term research project. While there, Marina must face issues from her past, in addition to the challenges of the present. The isolated and exotic setting creates a world apart, which provides a fascinating background for the intriguing characters who live there.
December 21, 2011
The Peach Keeper
Reviewed by Janet
Willa returns to her hometown in North Carolina, and discovers a classmate, Paxton, is renovating Willa's grand family home to become an inn. When more than secrets are uncovered during the project, the two women are forced to face old family secrets and betrayals that have stood between them. A magical tale that explores the meaning of family, friendship, and tradition.
December 14, 2011
Vaclav and Lena
Reviewed by Robin
As neighbors and children of Russian immigrants, Vaclav and Lena are thrown together as young children. Their friendship centers around Vaclav's desire to be a magician. The book traces their forays into magic, and follows them as they grow up and seemingly apart. The story packs an emotional wallop as the two come of age, and begin asking questions - or running from them. Interesting characters help highlight some of the issues faced by contemporary immigrants, both young and old.
December 7, 2011
Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness
Reviewed by Janet
In this memoir, a sequel to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, the author delves into her parents' childhoods in England and Africa, as well as more about her own childhood in Africa. The reader can observe the impact of unrest in several African countries, as the family experiences loss, survival, love and war. A touching look at an unforgettable family.
November 30, 2011
The Cut
Reviewed by Maggie
In the mood for a "can't put it down" fast-paced thriller? Then consider picking up this title, the first in a new series. Set in Washington DC, the hero, Spero Lucas, has just returned from years in the military in Iraq. Spero successfully transfers his skill set to investigative work in the working class neighborhoods of our nation's capitol and gathers a fan base of his own.
November 23, 2011
Nightwoods
Reviewed by Chris
The novel is set in the early 1960s in a small town near the mountains of North Carolina. A set of twins is delivered to their aunt by the state after the murder of their mother by her husband. All characters converge as the brother-in-law sets out on a path of violence and murder. The natural world of the mountains and forests of North Carolina is the backdrop for a spellbinding plot with many subtle twists and turns. This is the third novel by the author of Cold Mountain. I was not disappointed.
November 16, 2011
The Night Circus
Reviewed by Janet
Get ready to enter the magical world of the Night Circus, an incredible traveling show that appears without warning, enchants visitors with its amazing illusions, and then moves on. Two of the illusionists of the circus find themselves falling in love, yet they are pawns in a game directed by others. The richly described setting and the enchanting characters make this novel a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.
November 9, 2011
Georgia Bottoms
Reviewed by Amy
For an incredibly light and amusing way to pass a winter afternoon, read about southern belle Georgia Bottoms (her grandmother had the good sense to change the family name, which used to be Butt) and her very important and busy jobs, which tend to push the ethical envelope. Her racist mother, her best friend the "Grrl Mayor", and an assortment of the town's upstanding citizens keep things lively for the well-intentioned Georgia. (adult material for sure.)
November 2, 2011
Before I Go to Sleep
Reviewed by Janet
What if you forgot everything while you slept each night? Since a brutal attack years ago, Christine has suffered from a rare amnesia, and each morning has to re-create her world by reading her journal. The quandry of who to believe and who to trust builds the suspense and brings the story to a thrilling resolution. This one is hard to put down.
October 26, 2011
The Buddha in the Attic
Reviewed by Robin
This thin book lets us look into the lives of the young Japanese "picture brides" who arrived on our shores in the 1920s. Traveling by boat into the unknown, these young women were unprepared for marriage, or much else they were to encounter over the years, including the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Otsuko's unique writing style offers the slimmest of plots, yet the reader feels totally immersed in the lives of these women. Reading this books is like a Japanese meal - there is not much food on the plate, yet there is a richness of color and depth of taste that offers a most satisfying experience.
October 19, 2011
Stiltsville
Reviewed by Janet
This engaging novel, set in tropical Miami, is a portrait of a marriage - for better, for worse, and everything in between. Over the years, Frances and Dennis are faced with the typical challenges of many couples: relationships, parenting, financial issues, and health. A bittersweet love story that explores some very real characters and their very real issues.
October 12, 2011
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Reviewed by Cynthia
This book captured me immediately, satisfying all the requirements of a good read. Well-researched, with exquisite and often painful details, Wilkerson tells the stories of several individuals who joined the great exodus of African-Americans from the Southern U.S. Beginning in the early 1900s and continuing into the early 1970s, these migrants irrevocably changed their destination cities and the South. This is a very readable and important book about a pivotal change in American history, and a moving story of survival and hope. You can feel Wilkerson's passion for her subject on every page, making this a very personal and informative book.
October 5, 2011
The Language of Flowers
Reviewed by Janet
Using the Victorian-age language of flowers to express herself, Victoria begins her new life after aging out of the foster-care system in San Francisco. Alternating chapters between the present and the past bring the reader and Victoria to a turning point, where Victoria has to decide if she wants her past to dictate her future. A story of self-discovery, connection, hope, and ultimately, love.
September 28, 2011
My New American Life
Reviewed by Maggie
A zany look at one year in the life of Lula, a 26 year old Albanian immigrant, living in NYC. Below the surface, this novel is a serious exploration of immigration and contemporary American culture.
September 21, 2011
Where the Heart Is
Reviewed by Janet
Stranded at a Wal-Mart by her boyfriend, pregnant teenager Novalee must find a way out of her unexpected situation. The heartwarming story of this indomitable young woman draws the reader in to an exploration of the strength of the human spirit, the process of self-discovery, and the true meaning of family.
September 7, 2011
Dragon Chica
Reviewed by Lynne
There are plenty of novels about coming-of-age in America, touching on topics like intergenerational strife, sexuality, bullying, and the like. This is the first one I've seen that is written from the point of view of an adolescent refugee who faces the additional burdens of poverty, cultural dissonance, and trauma within the context of a family shattered by the Cambodian holocaust and barely surviving in the US. It's a tall order for an author who has not lived through the experience herself, but this novelist pulls it off.
August 31, 2011
The Hours
Reviewed by Janet
Decisions in the past tie together the lives of three women, from different places and times. In alternating chapters, moments from the lives of Virginia Woolf in England, Laura Brown in California in the 50s, and contemporary New Yorker Clarissa Vaughan touch on Woolf's main character from Mrs. Dalloway, bringing seemingly disparate stories to a surprising ending.
August 24, 2011
One Bad Apple
Reviewed by Sue
A historic New England house and an antique apple orchard set in a town near Amherst creates a perfect setting for a small town whodunit in the Orchard Mystery Series. History, local color, and interesting puzzles keep Meg Cory, a city girl, on her toes to adapt to country life, run an orchard, and solve mysterious crimes that keep dropping into her lap like bad apples. The series starts with One Bad Apple. Look for Amherst places and people which will bring a smile to anyone reading Ms. Connolly's books.
August 3, 2011
Joy for Beginners
Reviewed by Janet
A cancer survivor, Kate and 5 friends gather to celebrate her recovery. As a challenge to herself, Kate vows to undertake something that has always terrified her, and challenges her friends to do the same. By accepting the challenge, each woman begins an adventure of self-discovery and empowerment. A heartwarming story of the power of friendship and the joys to be found in life.
July 27, 2011
Baking Cakes in Kigali
Reviewed by Maggie (Also see Janet's review on 7/28/10 - such a good read, it deserves a second look!)
Angel Tungaraza is in business as a cake maker in Kigali, but her business is primarily in taking care of the people around her, and there are many of them! Luscious cakes are created amidst the contemporary challenges of political and social change in post genocide Rwanda. The tone is one of hope and renewal. Wonderful characters share their stories and emotions.
July 20, 2011
22 Britannia Road
Reviewed by Janet
Reunited after World War II, Janusz and Silvana try to rebuild a life together in a new country. Yet each has secrets from the war years that threaten to overwhelm them and destroy it. Their powerful stories, separate and combined, demonstrate the strength of the human spirit and the will to survive, as these well-drawn characters gradually reveal the terrors of the past.
July 13, 2011
Wolf Hall
Reviewed by Cynthia
Immerse yourself once again into the drama of King Henry VIII's courtship of Anne Boleyn, but in a way it hasn't been done before - through Thomas Cromwell's eyes. This book made me ponder the morality of pragmatism in a world where the conviction of Faith is used as a heavy weapon against dissenters. Although this book is not about Thomas More, Mantel elegantly juxtaposes his morality against Cromwell's, and it left me breathless at times.
July 6, 2011
The American Heiress
Reviewed by Janet
The Gilded Age comes to life as nouveau riche heiress Cora Cash has to balance her mother's ambitions for her with her own wishes for her life. From Newport and Manhattan to rural England, Cora learns about the differences between wealth in America and social class in England. Intriguing characters and detailed settings are sure to engage.
June 29, 2011
Her Fearful Symmetry
Reviewed by Pauline
This book is unique in that one of the main characters dies in the first paragraph, setting off a chain of events that brings a pair of sheltered 21-year-old twins from the Chicago suburbs to inhabit a flat above Highgate Cemetery in London. They're soon caught up in the lives of the other inhabitants of their building. Unforgettable and enchanting.
June 22, 2011
The True Memoirs of Little K
Reviewed by Janet
Get an inside look at the last tsar of Russia from the perspective of his mistress. Based on fact and framed as a memoir, Little K experiences the opulence of imperialist Russia, the rumbles of revolution, and the tragedies and transformations that it brings. Fascinating historical fiction.
June 15, 2011
Mr. Chartwell
Reviewed by Robin
An extremely inventive novel in which a Mr. Chartwell, the "black dog" of Winston Churchill (his common name for his depression) is anthropomorphized and comes a calling to rent a room from a young woman, Esther Hammerhans, who works as a librarian in the House of Commons. Depression, emotional survival, resilience, serendipitous events and historical figures are all carried about by Mr. Chartwell the way he might "doggedly" carry a bone to his den. The book rings true on all fronts.
June 8, 2011
The Spiral Staircase
Reviewed by Cynthia
Karen Armstrong entered a convent at age 17, eager to surrender her life to the grace of God. Instead, after seven years there, she emerged spiritually defeated. This book is a memoir of her struggle to find her place in the world, and her ongoing desire to achieve a personal intimacy with faith. An inspiring read for anyone who has seemingly failed at a great dream. Her story may change your idea of what it means to succeed.
June 1, 2011
Lost in Shangri-La
Reviewed by Janet
A true tale of survival and rescue from a Pacific Island. In 1945, a plane of American serviceman and WACs crashed in an uncharted valley at the center of New Guinea. Challenged by injuries, the terrain, enemy Japanese, and natives rumored to be cannibals, the three survivors await rescue. An entertaining and fast-paced adventure, this story will amaze and engage.