Genre Book Discussion

Ladies Under Discussion

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I think I described our current genre fairly well at the end of Beachy Keen Reads, so I think I’ll just quote myself! “[Women’s fiction] books explore the life of a female main character, focusing on their relationship with family, friends, and significant others. These books can be romantic, suspenseful, mysterious, or dark in tone but they must all feature a woman overcoming the odds and emerging triumphant!” Everyone took those ideas to heart, and so this is what we read:

Rosemary: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway is a thought-provoking story of personal growth. Gal Garner is a high school biology teacher. She can be cranky and judgmental one moment and caring the next. Her life is precise and methodical, but she has good reason to require this in her life. Every second night she goes to the hospital for dialysis. Gal is waiting for word that a kidney is available for her. Her life devoted to teaching and growing roses becomes even more complicated when Riley, her 15-year-old niece, shows up at the high school and expects to live with her for an indefinite amount of time. Gal’s hold on life is so tenuous, how will she be able to help Riley?

Megan: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is the story of two young women in the Woman’s Auxiliary Air Force during World War II. The narrator has been captured by the Gestapo after her plane, piloted by her best friend Maddie, crashes in German occupied France. Verity is forced to reveal her mission or she will be put to death. This book is her confession and the story she tells is as much about her friendship with Maddie, as it is about codes, airplanes, and their role in the war. Despite the grim reality of war and harrowing details of interrogation methods, at its heart this book is about female friendship, strength and perseverance. Fans of historical fiction, and spy novels will not want to miss this book.

Carol: In Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, it’s 1946 and Claire Randall, an ex-combat nurse, is in the Scottish highlands along with her husband Frank, from whom she’s been estranged these last six years due to the war. Claire is alone sightseeing when she walks into a circle of ancient standing stones and is transported to 1743. Claire is immediately taken prisoner, first by British soldiers (including her husband’s sixth-times-great-grandfather, Jack Randall) and then by Scottish clansmen who believe she is British Spy. Getting herself home becomes a less important problem than surviving in the 18th century, and Claire clings to a kindly clansman named Jamie Fraser, whose life Claire saves with her medical knowledge. Soon, though, the clan decides that if Claire is no spy, she must marry this Jamie, who has secrets and troubles of his own. Gabaldon’s fabulous and original series starter is hard to classify. Part fantasy, romance, and historical fiction, what made this a women’s fiction title for this reader was the struggle Claire, an independent modern woman, faces while attempting to live back in time.

Emma: My Antonia by Willa Cather is the story of orphaned Jim Burden who travels from Virginia to rural Black Hawk, Nebraska to live with his grandparents. On the same train an immigrant Bohemian family is also traveling to Black Hawk. Antonia Shimerda and Jim become close friends and Jim helps Antonia learn English. The Shimerda family doesn’t thrive in their new home and depressed Mr. Shimerda commits suicide. Antonia helps with the farming until moving to town to work as a servant. Jim and his grandparents move to Black Hawk so Jim can continue going to school. Later Jim continues his education in Lincoln and then at Harvard. Antonia stays in Black Hawk, becomes pregnant, is deserted by her fiancée in Denver, and returns home to work the farm. Twenty years later Jim returns to Nebraska and finds Antonia married, content, and the proud mother of several children. This is a moving story of a strong woman who faces tragedies and joys with grace.

Ann: The Butterfly’s Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe is a wonderful novel about grandmothers, mothers and daughters, tradition, and family- with lots of monarch butterfly lore. Luz Avila’s grandmother buys an old VW bug and announces to Luz that they are going to make the drive from Wisconsin to San Antonio and on to Mexico to acquaint Luz with her relatives and follow the monarch butterfly’s migration. Luz’s abuela (grandmother) raises butterflies and even named Luz’s mother Mariposa (meaning butterfly). Luz thinks Abuela’s idea is crazy, but the next morning Luz finds Abuela has died in her sleep. After thinking things through Luz decides she will make the journey her grandmother wanted to take together, and she will take Abuela’s ashes back to the family home in Mexico. Luz’s boyfriend Sully discourages her from going alone, but she insists. This is the story of Luz’s journey and the road bumps and surprises she encounters along the way.

Dori: In The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar, an invitation from America reunites a group of close college friends. Armaiti is dying and, nostalgic for her youth in Bombay, asks Laleh, Kavita and Nishta to one final gathering. Her three friends all seem to be at a crossroads: Laleh, happily married to her college sweetheart, feels guilty about her wealth and success, while Kavita is coming to terms with her sexuality. Furthest afield is Nishta, married to a conservative, controlling Muslim man. Will she be able to free herself and, if so, will she return to her marriage? Umrigar’s novel is a thoughtful look at friendship, love, religious differences and youthful idealism, painting a complex portrait of modern India.

Julie: In Bed Rest by Sarah Bilston we have a character who thinks she has it all figured out: career, marriage and pregnant before turning thirty. When problems force her into bed rest on her couch, she finds the perspective from there very different.

Stacey: Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski combines some of my favorite things: pop culture references, organizing, and a satisfying ending. Lucy Bloom is a professional organizer and is hired to help a reluctant recluse declutter her home. As Lucy begins to push the homeowner to let go of physical objects, both Lucy and her client find the emotional clutter in their own lives to be the worst clutter of all. Told with heart, and a sense of humor, this book will offer readers plenty to think about and discuss.

Next up? We’ll be appreciating the fine artwork offered up in the genre of Graphic Novels! A graphic novel is a story told primarily with pictures, but will include words as well. From the funny to the serious, graphic novels are worth a look! (Tee hee!)

— Stacey

Religon for the Reading Masses

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You may remember last month when I got everyone all revved up about tweaking Christian Fiction into a broader category? Well, if you don’t. This is most important part of what I said, “you’ll want to look for a book that is as gentle or as action-packed as you can take, but the main motivating factor within the story will be religiously based.” And so the department went forth and found books to read. Are you curious to see who took advantage of the tweaking? Let’s get to it then!

Janet: House of Secrets by Tracie Peterson is the story of the Cooper family. Bailee, Genna and Piper Cooper are invited to a gathering at the family summer house by their father who says that he has something big to share with them. Now young adults the girls have not been to their family’s summer house in 15 years, the night their mother died. On the last night of their mother’s life the girls were watching when their father ground up their mother’s medication and stirred it into her drink. Their mother was taken to the hospital where she died so the girls have believed for 15 years that their father killed their mother. They have never talked to their father about it. Bailee, Genna and Piper are ready to clear the air. The Cooper family has a great deal of issues to sort out. It is painful for them all. Their father and Bailee’s boyfriend turn to God for His help. Will He help anyone else? Are there other helpful resources for some of the family members? You will need to read the book to find out.

Megan: The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab is the story of two sisters and their very different struggles with grief, forgiveness and faith. Caro has always considered herself an only child, ever since her much older sister Hannah joined a convent many years ago. Much to her dismay, Caro’s happy family life is disrupted with the sudden announcement that Hannah is coming home. Hannah won’t discuss her decision to leave, which only serves to frustrate Caro more. Unable to cope with the stranger in her house, Caro tells lies that alienate her from her friends when she is caught. It is not until Caro inadvertently discovers the secret that Hannah has been keeping that she begins to understand her sister’s loss of faith. In seeking advice from the family priest Caro not only begins to renew her own faith and but forges a new relationship with her sister. This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking look at faith and family in young adult literature.

Carol: In Pie Town by Lynne Hinton, two strangers arrive to a place named for a dessert that hasn’t been served there in years. Father George Morris, fresh from the seminary, has been assigned to Pie Town, New Mexico as his first parish, and along the way there he’s picked up Trina, a young troubled woman who is hitchhiking. The town is in the midst of planning a party for Alex, a young boy with spinal bifida, who might be the only thing the disagreeable people in Pie Town can agree on. Alex is kind and loving, hopeful and forgiving, despite his diagnosis, spending most of his young life in a wheelchair, and being raised by his divorced grandparents after being abandoned by his mother. Trina’s first day in town ends with her breaking into the church, stealing wine and putting the moves on another girl’s boyfriend, and soon things start looking glum for Trina. And when the church burns down, Trina is the first suspect. Father George, who has secrets of his own, also begins to feel alienated and takes the burnt church as a sign that he is not wanted. Will these two misfits find joy in Pie Town, or will they move on? And when, if ever, will there be pie again in Pie Town? This bittersweet story is a quick read about small town life, faith, secrets, and guardian angels, that teaches some history lessons about Native American life New Mexico along the way. With lessons about forgiveness and second chances, this novel is ultimately uplifting. Readers should be made aware that the novel explores some issues like unwanted pregnancy and abortion, and also some curse words.

Julie: Sweeter than Birdsong is Rosslyn Elliott’s second book of The Saddler’s Legacy series which is fiction based on the lives of the Hanby family of Westerville, Ohio. The time is 1855 and Kate Winter is trying to escape from her family and the bonds of marriage while Ben Hanby is trying to help fugitives escape the bonds of slavery when their paths intersect and are forever changed.

Ann: To Darkness and to Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming is a novel of faith and murder set in the small Adirondack town of Miller’s Kill. Clare Fergusson, Episcopal priest of St. Alban’s is preparing for a visit from the bishop, when she’s called to help the local Search and Rescue team find a missing young woman. The story, which takes place over a 24-hour period, takes a fast rollercoaster pace as the townspeople search for the missing Millicent van der Hoeven, and other developments in town lead to a web of assault, blackmail, kidnapping, and attempted murder. Clare and the town’s chief of police Russ Van Alstyne struggle with the events taking place in their community and with the growing feelings of attraction each feels for the other. This is the fourth book in the series and it won’t disappoint.

Rosemary: Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin is a fast-paced, genuine novel that explores good vs. evil. Readers meet Tyler Steele, a third generation Texas Ranger, who has made a complete hash of his life. He is estranged from his wife, who longed for a deeper connection with Ty, but this was something he could never give. His chance for redemption comes in the unlikely pair of a young mother and her daughter. Samantha and Hope are frightened and obviously on the run. Ty knows he can protect them, but will he be able to thaw his stone-cold heart.

Steve: Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse, is the philosophical story of the main character, Siddhartha, and his lifelong spiritual quest. He and a friend leave home and seek out the enlightened one, Buddha. Upon finding him, Siddhartha choices to continue his search and leaves his friend to join the Buddha’s followers. Siddhartha embarks on a journey of pleasure and riches, but tires of such emptiness and seeks another lifestyle of simplicity. He discovers a son he did not know existed, and upon the mother’s death, takes him in but finds they have nothing in common. Against this backdrop Siddhartha finds peace and his own brand of enlightenment. Siddhartha is a short and easy paced read, but is abundant in thoughtful lessons.

Emma: The Shack by William P. Young is the story of Mac and Missy Phillips. Six-year-old Missy is abducted during a family camping trip. Her blood-stained dress was found in a shack in the Oregon wilderness, but her remains were never found. Missy’s dad Mac blames himself for the kidnapping/murder. Four years later grief-stricken Mac receives a suspicious note inviting him back to the shack. He decides to go and discovers that the shack has been transformed into something lovely. Mac has been invited to spend a weekend with the Trinity for a weekend of healing, rest, assurance, and confrontation. A sad story with an interesting premise.

Dori: Lying Awake by Mark Salzman is the story of Sister John, a Carmelite nun who, having struggled with her spiritual purpose, now seems blessedly inspired and through her visions is writing best-selling poetry. At the same time, however, she has been having migraines which are getting worse. After a doctor’s visit she discovers she has epilepsy and that it is the cause of her inspiration; a simple operation would take it all away. Is the epilepsy and its effects the will of God or a delusion? Should she/can she return to her previous existence of doubt and disconnection? Salzman’s bare writing, alternating prayer and prose, takes your breath away.

Stacey: At Home in Mitford, by Jan Karon is the first book in the very popular The Mitford Years series, and truthfully might just be my favorite. This is the book that introduces readers to Father Tim, the young boy Dooley, who needs strong guidance and lots of love, a massive dog named Barnabas, and an eligible neighbor lady who seems pretty friendly! The small town life, the interesting characters, and the satisfying relationships that continue to change, will make picking up A Light in the Window a must.

Next time we’re going be thinking beachy thoughts! This discussion will feature those easy, breezy books that people like to spend their summer days reading. If you’re feeling the heat already, why not look back at some of the books we enjoyed in the Summer of 2011?

Enjoy!

— Stacey

Picture Me This (with a Graphic Novel or two?)

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Have you been wondering if it’s possible to discuss a story told mostly through images, with an occasional assistance from text? Well wonder no more… You can! And we did! How do I know this for a fact? Graphic novels, stories told primarily through artwork, were the latest and greatest genre under our department’s microscope –and this is what we found:

Megan: Fables, by Bill Willingham is an exciting mash-up of beloved fairy tales characters living in a modern setting. Driven from their homelands by an enemy known only as The Adversary, the survivors established a safe haven in a heavily glamoured luxury hotel in modern-day New York City. After centuries of peace, Fabletown has found itself in the midst of political upheaval and dramatic change. Gorgeous color illustrations, clever reimaginings of familiar characters, and a suspenseful storyline will have readers eager for more.

Dori: Berlin, City of Stones: Book One by Jason Lutes is the first of a trilogy about the Weimer Republic, the period in Germany between the two World Wars when there was political democracy and a flourishing artistic culture but a looming shadow ahead. This book takes place over eight months from 1928 to 1928 and the unfolding events are told through the lives of a large cast of characters. There’s the romantic entanglements of Kurt Severing, a journalist and Marthe Muller, an art student. There’s another story line featuring a working-class family who find themselves at odds over their political allegiances. Another follows a young Jewish newsboy who is the target of anti-Semitism. Lutes is able to capture a sense of the ominous future, from the begging war veterans, to the rising Nazi party, to the Communist rallies. His stark black and white drawings and distinct panels capture the events and the reactions of his characters, some with no text at all. I’m looking forward to Berlin, City of Ashes: Book Two.

Emma: Drawing from Memory by Allen Say is part memoir, part graphic novel, and part history. The reader follows the young life of writer/illustrator Allen Say. It’s his story of life in Yokohama, Japan, as a small boy to his middle school years in Tokyo apprenticed to cartoonist Noro Shinpei, his “sensei” (teacher) and “spiritual father”. At 15, Allen is given the opportunity to immigrate to the United States with his father and his father’s new family, and this is where the novel abruptly stops. The graphic novel is a beautiful mixture of watercolor paintings, original cartoons, photographs, and maps.

Carol: Two Generals by Scott Chantler is a graphic novel based on real life WWII experiences of the author’s grandfather Lew Chantler and his best friend Jack, two recruits of the Canadian Highland Light Infantry who cross the Atlantic in 1943. Readers get to know Chant and Jack as their regiment is trained in England. Their downtime is spent enjoying the pleasures that overseas life offers, but little do they know, they will end up taking part of the famous attack on the beaches of Normandy. In the book’s second half, the men head to France, where many will face death as they play a pivotal role in the war. In words and pictures, we see the horrors of war and the bravery and honor of the men who fought and those who died for their country. The artwork is fantastic as the colors of the scenes change from khakis, to reds, indicating dark moods or scenes of battle. The author wrote this moving story using his grandfather’s journal and letters.

Julie: Don’t be scared that Vera Brosgol’s first book is in the teen section and a graphic novel – oh, and the title is Anja’s Ghost. It’s a well-written, well-illustrated twist on the coming of age novel, still with the angst any teenager feels about fitting in, especially as a Russian immigrant in a suburban high school. But it’s Anya’s encounter with a ghost that changes her path, for the good and the bad.

Janet: Mister Wonderful by Daniel Clowes tackles the issue of later-in-life dating. The story line features Marshall and Natalie who have both been in long term relationships. Their blind date was arranged by mutual friends. Their first date is fraught with ups and downs that seem to spell disaster. Will there be a second date? You’ll have to read this lackluster book to find out.

Ann: Doggone Town by Stefan Petrucha & Sarah Kinney scripting and Sho Murase providing artwork is #13 in the series, Nancy Drew, Girl Detective. The series brings the world’s most famous girl detective, Nancy Drew, into the graphic novel format. In this story a lost dog leads Nancy and her boyfriend Ned to the small town of Nevershare, but why are all its citizens gone except for Ms. Byra Tussle, the dog Togo’s owner? If she is his owner, why does she get his name wrong? Then again, why does Togo seem afraid of Byra? With Nancy Drew on the case you can bet the mysteries get solved!

Rosemary: Underwire by Jennifer Hayden is a collection of 22 illustrated stories. They explore subjects near and dear to Hayden’s heart. She is in her late 40s and expresses what many women go through during those years. There are personal health issues right alongside the wish that her children didn’t have to grow up so quickly. She hopes she is still attractive to her husband, and the sequence where they go out for an anniversary dinner is touching. A few words of caution: Hayden’s drawings and language are of the in-your-face style.

Chris: Lost & Found by Shaun Tan tells three tales–all dealing with loss. The first, The Red Tree, tells the story of an unhappy girl whose life is filled with gloom until she happens upon a bright spot, symbolized by a red tree. The Lost Thing, tells of a man who finds a lost object/human that speaks to him and compels him to find a special place for it. And the third, The Rabbits, tells a tale of people experiencing change; they ultimately lose their old ways and find new ones. Afterwards, author/illustrator Tan talks about the symbolism in his tales in a unique and captivating way.

Steve: American Vampire, Vol. 1 , by Scott Snyder and Stephen King, illustrated by Rafael Albuquereque, tells two intertwined stories. It is ultimately a tale of vampires, but it pits the traditional European vampires, think pale, afraid of the sun, with a new breed, the American vampire, who are actually stronger in daylight. Skinner Sweet is a bank robber in the American West in the 1880’s who is involved in a shoot-out, and blood from a European vampire drips into his blood before he dies, creating this new breed. Shoot ahead to 1920’s Los Angeles and he is tracking down aspiring actress Pearl, who is also a newly infected American vampire. Blood, guts and gore ensue in this fabulously written and drawn story.

Stacey: Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip, Volume One by Tove Jansson is a collection of her daily comics published by the Associated Press beginning in 1953. Her daily comics were meant for adult readers, not the children reading the Moomin books, and so were allowed to have a darker, bleaker feel in general. Ms. Jansson’s comics are full of whimsical characters showing a wide range of emotion, a feat only such a talented artist could have achieved.

The next time we meet up for thoughtful discussion, we’ll be delving into the world of Gentle Reads! A book that fits this category will have a pretty mellow feeling; there are no extreme feelings or bold action. A gentle read will focus on a small community of people, with an emphasis on the everyday ups and downs of lives quietly led. I can’t wait to see what books we’ll all wind-up choosing! (I wonder what *I’ll* be choosing?)

— Stacey

Hey! That’s Scary!

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Eek! How “horror”-ible were those stories? Or maybe it should be: How “horror”-ibly wonderful were those stories? Yes, that’s correct my friends. We’ve just discussed horror books again and our group presented a wide variety of titles, written with the aim of frightening the reader. This genre will include supernatural elements, a good way distinguish horror from suspense fiction, and will be set in a reality where the natural world is abnormal or out-of-control. The appeal of a horror book is meant to be terror, fear, disgust… Not one of which I would describe as an appealing emotion, but I have little doubt that they would give you a good shiver up your spine! So what did everyone select this time around? You’re about to find out:

Chris: Come Closer by Sara Gran tells the story of demonic possession. The evil one announces her arrival with a tapping-sound-that-won’t-stop in the loft where Amanda and Edward live. Before long Amanda changes into a liar, a thief, a mind-reader, a sleep-around, a meanie and a killer. Scary stuff!

Carol: Jacquelyn Mitchard’s The Midnight Twins is a teen horror book and the first of a trilogy. In this novel, Mallory and Meredith Brynn are identical twins who have always shared dreams and could communicate telepathically. But when a fire nearly destroys them, they begin having different dreams. Mallory starts dreaming of the future while Meredith dreams of past events. Soon they realize that a demented psychopath is out to get them–unless their special gifts can save them. This story was worth the read and would be suitable for teens over the age of twelve, due to some violent content.

Emma: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson was originally published in 1886. Jekyll is a well-respected physician who creates a chemical potion that allows himself to separate his good and evil personalities. The good is represented by Jekyll and the evil is Hyde. The person of Hyde is younger and smaller. He tramples over a small girl and eventually kills a member of Parliament beating him to death with Jekyll’s walking stick. At the beginning Jekyll is able to transform himself back and forth easily between Jekyll and Hyde, but it becomes more difficult as time passes. The persona of Hyde takes over. Jekyll finally locks himself in his laboratory sending his butler all over town searching for the essential ingredient in the potion with no success. Utterson and the butler break into the laboratory to find that Hyde committed suicide.

Janet: ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King was published in 1975, long before Stephanie Meyers introduced us to Edward, Bella and Jacob. At the time of its publication ‘Salem’s Lot would have been terrifying. It is still scary but it has not disturbed my sleep. The main character Ben Mears, a writer, has returned to town to face some of his childhood demons. A stranger, Mr. Barlow, arrives at about the same time and takes up residence in the old Marsten House. This stranger is a very old vampire who is planning on taking over the town by turning the small town residents into his army of vampires. Fortunately there is good to fight the evil. With lives at stake as well as the fate of the town ‘Salem’s Lot is riveting until the very end.

Megan: Gil’s All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez is the story of how a werewolf, a vampire, a ghost, and a waitress band together to defeat the old demon gods that have been summoned by a teenaged girl dabbling in black magic. This book is a campy, quirky, horror spoof. Dysfunctional characters and even more dysfunctional relationships combine in a laugh-out-loud poke at horror. Jam-packed with zombies, demons, ghosts, and plenty of action, this book will be hit with fans of Christopher Moore’s irreverent vampire tales.

Rosemary: Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King was the best selling novel of 1992. More than a few people in Little Tall Island believe Dolores Claiborne murdered her drunken and abusive husband, Joe. Now Vera Donovan, the wealthy and very old woman Dolores has cared for 30 odd years, has died under suspicious circumstances. All the evidence is pointing to Dolores, again. This is a compelling story of a mother protecting what she holds most dear–her children. Redemption and grace are not two words usually associated with the horror genre, but Stephen King has written Dolores Claiborne with real grace and a surprising sense of redemption.

Ann: The Ridge by Michael Koryta is set in a rural area of Kentucky. Creepy things are happening on Blade Ridge. For the longest time a man named Wyatt French has tended a lighthouse there- right in the middle of the woods. Everyone just thought Wyatt was a sort of crazy drunk guy. Then he commits suicide, but before he does he contacts both the local newspaper reporter and the local cop, Kevin Kimball. When Kimball investigates, he finds a list of names, photographs, and maps on the walls at Wyatt’s lighthouse. The names are all people who died (over almost a century) near the Ridge. The Ridge had always been a spooky place, and the question now is what was Wyatt investigating? A delightfully scary ghost story that reminds me of Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box.

Dori: A Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons. After a failed suicide attempt brought on by two botched relationships, Dale Stewart takes a sabbatical, drawn by a recurring nightmare back to his boyhood home in Illinois where he hopes to stay the winter and write a book about his childhood and the murder of his friend, odd but brilliant Duane McBride. Camping out at Duane’s long unoccupied house, even sleeping in Duane’s bedroom, he begins to get cryptic messages on his computer, visits from packs of black dogs and threats from local neo-Nazis. Claustrophobic and suspenseful, this horror novel is well-written with a truly surprising ending.

Steve: Stationary Bike, by Stephen King,is an interesting tale about commercial artist Richard Sifkitz. After a doctor visit reveals his unhealthy levels of cholesterol, he decides to get in shape by riding a stationary bike. As he increases his exercise routine and transforms into a much healthier body, he begins to have odd dreams. He envisions workers who were cleaning the fatty cholesterol from his body, and they are mad because their workload has been decreased due to Richard’s exercising. The story peaks with Richard’s inability to stop exercising, even though he is tormented with these workmen who haunt his dreams. The line begins to blur between reality and fantasy, and the question becomes will Richard be able to have a healthy body as well as a healthy mind?

Stacey: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury is a book that will give you a few sleepless nights the next time you see a traveling carnival come to town. Two boys, Will and Jim are drawn in by the excitement of all the different rides, the interesting people, and the unusual “tricks” they’ve found, but soon the boys become uncomfortable. There’s something strange about this carnival and the people who work there. In fact, maybe it’s brought something wicked to town and now no one is safe? What can Jim and Will do to fight against the almost irresistible pull of trouble released by this place? What would you do if you found evil lurking behind the curtain at a booth on the midway?

And next time? We’re going to try something completely new -we’re going to be reading First Novels! These will be books written by authors who were published for the first time some time in the last twelve months. Or it could be that they’ve published a book in a genre that’s new to them, like a mystery writer trying narrative nonfiction. Let’s check back in about a month, okay?

— Stacey

It’s a Holly Jolly Holiday Story!

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As much as I like chocolate, I’m not a big fan of drinking hot chocolate. I think it’s got something to do with the gritty sludge that is often left at the bottom of the mug. On the other hand, the marshmalows you can put on top? That’s a bit of a draw… What does this have to do with our recent book group discussion? Well, we talked about holiday stories and what goes better with a nice wintery, holiday tale than a big mug of hot cocoa?! Not everyone likes this “genre,” but that’s okay right? Again, it’s similar to the hot chocolate thing, where many people love their cocoa -but not all of us do… So let’s see what was selected -and you can decide for yourself what would be in your mug if you were reading that very same book!

Rosemary: A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry is her ninth Christmas mystery. These stories are suspenseful and rather dark considering their holiday themes, but each one is perfection in its own small way. Caroline and Joshua Fielding must spend the Christmas holidays with the wealthy Netheridge family in remote Whitby in Yorkshire. Joshua is to produce a play written by the Netheridge daughter based upon the story of Dracula. The days leading up to the production are full of contention and then a horrible act of violence occurs. Will Caroline be able to solve the crime before the dawn of Christmas day?

Julie: Steven Hornby’s first novel, Secrets of a Christmas Box, explores the secret world of Christmas tree ornaments. These Tree-Dwellers come to life every year after sleeping away the non-holiday season in the Christmas box. Apparently the author had intended it originally to be a screenplay and it might have fared better in that format.

Ann: In The Chocolate Snowman Murders by JoAnna Carl, (9th in the “chocoholic” mysteries series) the main character is Lee McKinney, a transplanted Texan in western Michigan, who manages her aunt’s chocolate shop. The town of Warner Pier is getting ready for WinterFest, a Christmastime festival designed to help promote winter tourism in the town along Lake Michigan. Lee is on the planning committee, and is asked to pick up the out of town judge who’s coming to town to judge the art exhibit that’s part of the festival. But on the way home from the airport, the guy is not only drunk and obnoxious, but begins pawing at Lee in the truck. She dumps him at a motel while she drives home and tries to compose herself. But when the guy is found murdered in his room the next day, Lee is under suspicion. Carl’s books fall somewhere between cozy and medium-boiled, and also give the reader a good sense of place of the western Michigan resort towns like Saugatuck and Grand Haven, after which Warner Pier is modeled.

Megan: The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts is a cozy Christmas story about three best friends, each in need of a miracle. Kylie Gray is newly single and unemployed when she purchases the antique snow globe that will change their lives. According the shop owner, the snow globe was a gift to a German toymaker would had lost his wife and son. One day that woman came into his shop, mended his broken heart, and changed his life forever. Since then the globe has been passed down, always finding a person in need. Kylie is hopeful that this gift to herself will provide the miracle that she needs. This is a sweet, predictable story about friendship, family, and true love. If that type of story is not your cup of tea, you may enjoy Marvel’s Zombies Christmas Carol, adapted by Jim McCann and illustrated by David Baldeon and Jeremy Treece. In this graphic adaptation of Dickens’ classic story, there is no Christmas in London because the Hungry Death has devastated the city. Mankind’s only hope for salvation rests on the shoulders of the bitter miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. On Christmas Eve Scrooge is visited by three spirits who reveal to Scrooge the role he played in causing the Hungry Death and its devastating consequences. He awakens on Christmas Day inspired and resolved to change his ways and put the undead to rest. The illustrations are at once horrific and fascinating and the story remains quite true to the original, despite the unique zombie twist.

Emma: The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck is a story of forgiveness and second chances. 12-year-old Eddie feels he deserves a bicycle for Christmas even if money is tight since his dad died. His gift is a homemade red sweater. Eddie hates his new sweater, throws it on the floor and basically pouts all day spoiling the holiday for his mother and grandparents. What follows next is a dream which is too real for Eddie. On the way home from his grandparents house, there is a car accident and his mother is killed. Eddie is forced to live with his grandparents, hating it and eventually running away. A neighbor helps Eddie see the error in his choices. When Eddie wakes up he gets another chance to celebrate Christmas this time on December 26th. He is happy, content, and thankful for his family.

Carol: I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley is the fourth in a series starring precocious 11-year-old Flavia de Luce. It’s nearly Christmas in post WWII England when our chemistry and poison-obsessed young sleuth decides she’ll trap Saint Nick while he’s delivering gifts–and prove his existence to her two sisters. All of her plans are put on the back (Bunsen) burner when a film crew comes to make a movie at her family’s estate Buckshaw. When a movie star on set turns up murdered, the fearless Flavia, who is herself among the suspects, throws herself headlong into the investigation. Always a delightful series, this one is made even more merry by the Christmas-time setting.

Janet: The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry centers on the lives and careers of two couples. Brothers Jack and Jimmy are musicians who lead a nomadic life with their band in order to perform to live audiences. Their absence is difficult for Kara (Jack’s fiancée) and Charlotte (Jimmy’s first real love). As a Christmas gift for Charlotte Jimmy writes a love song for her which is renamed “A Christmas Song” by their overly eager agent which audiences across the country love. With this song Jimmy, as a solo act, hits the big time. His popularity as a performer keeps him on the road longer which jeopardizes his relationships with his loved ones. After much soul-searching Jimmy realizes the next step he must take.

Steve: Skipping Christmas, by John Grisham, is a nice quick read for the holidays. At the onset, we see Luther and Nora Krank dropping off their only child, Blair, at the airport as she is set to embark on a Peace Corps trip to Peru. Blair is fresh out of grad school and this is the first year she will not be home for Christmas. Unable to sleep that night, Luther, an accountant, tallies up the previous Christmas’ expenses, and seething at the high cost, $6100, conjures up a plan to skip Christmas and instead escape with his wife on a Caribbean cruise. He manages to convince his wife to go along with this, and thus the shenanigans begin. The Kranks live on a nice suburban street, along with nosey neighbors and their do-what-I-do mentality. The neighbors are not happy to hear that the Kranks will be skipping Christmas, how dare they! But the Kranks stand their ground, that is until Christmas Eve, the day before their cruise is to set sail, when Blair calls from the airport with news that she is surprising them by coming home for Christmas! Not only that, she is bringing her new fiancé, a Peruvian who has never experienced an American Christmas. It ends up that without their neighbors’ help, they will not able to pull things together and everyone comes to the rescue. There’s nothing earth shattering here, but in the end Luther sees the importance of Christmas activities and neighbors and even ends up giving his cruise tickets to his nemesis across the street. The book does raise an interesting question of “What if” you skipped all the Christmas hoopla and stripped things down to the basics, would it make for a more, or less pleasant, holiday?

Dori: The Gift: A Novel by Pete Hamill is a semi-autobiographical coming of age novella about a young sailor on leave from boot camp who comes home to spend Christmas with his Irish Catholic family in Brooklyn, New York before he’s shipped off to Korea. He’s hoping that he can win back the affection of his high school sweetheart and longing to get to know his hard drinking, emotionally absent father. Hamill perfectly captures the claustrophic, poor, yet supportive neighborhood and young Pete’s dreams of a different life. Lyrical and bittersweet, this novella is a gem.

Stacey: The Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies was written as a novella to accompany the release of the movie in the spring of 1947. This is one of those classic stories that will never feel out-of-date as the underlying idea is timeless and universal: if you believe in the good of others and follow your heart, you’ll find what makes you happiest in the end. Doris, a single mom and dedicated career woman, is raising her daughter Susan with no illusions about life, but their new neighbor Fred thinks it’s a little sad to have no sense of wonder about the world. When Kris Kringle becomes Macy’s seasonal Santa, it gives everyone an opportunity to see the magic in their world.

Shockingly, we’re following up our Holiday tales with Horror! (I should mention that we pick the genres at random, or is that stating the obvious now?) So if you want to start 2012 off on the same reading page as our book group, you’ll want to find a book that has been written to frighten the reader, with supernatural or occult elements to make it different from standard suspense fiction. There are subgenres in this category that range from comic horror to demonic possession to historical horror to haunted houses, so there should be something out there somewhere that will appeal to just about everyone, right? Right! Have a wonderful Holiday Season, filled with good books of all kinds!

— Stacey

Books That Win Prizes are Called Literary Fiction!

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Just about everything in life is subjective, right? What someone might think is a pretty color or what weather is most enjoyable or even what makes a book worthy of winning a “prize,” are all more personal opinion than fact. Does that stop anyone from passing out an award -or being excited to win an award- of course not! It’s always nice to receive recognition for a job well done! Plus it makes for a super easy way to select a book for discussion if one of the key criteria is “award winning!” Now can you guess what genre we discussed? Right! It was literary fiction! Other criteria to look for would be a focus on characters, intellectually interesting and encourage a high degree of interaction between the book and the reader. Now are you ready to know what everyone choose to read?

Emma: Amandine: A Novel by Marlena de Blasi is the story of an illegitimate baby born to the daughter of Polish royalty. The countess wants the baby to disappear and tells her daughter the little girl died. In reality the unnamed child is dropped off at a convent in Montpellier, France. Grandma provides financially for her care. Solange is named caregiver who names the baby Amandine. Solange and the sisters at the convent adore Amandine, but the Abbess despises her, making life unbearable. Eventually Solange and Amandine leave the convent to reunite with Solange’s family, but a two day train trip turns into a several year hike across occupied France. Solange is killed by Nazis along the way and Amandine relies on the kindness of strangers to survive. Amandine is a remarkable story of survival, persistence, and unexpected love.

Julie: Hillary Jordan’s debut novel, Mudbound, won the Bellwether prize for fiction. Set in the post-WWII South, the story follows two families trying to eke out a living in the muddy Mississippi Delta as they are confronted with racism and the effects of war on those who fought.

Rosemary: Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate is a sensitive exploration of substance and sexual addictions. Josie Henderson has worked extremely hard to earn her position as a scientist for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. She is the only African-American researcher there. Daniel, her white husband, is also a scientist there. Because of her painful past in Cleveland, Josie has very little contact with her family back home. When Tick, Josie’s younger brother, finishes his second trip to rehab for alcoholism, he starts to slip almost immediately and flees to Josie for help. Josie’s carefully constructed world crashes down upon her when her new African-American lover spurns her, and Tick spirals out of control.

Carol: The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto is the story of two Japanese twenty-somethings, both damaged by loss. Chihiro, a mural artist, has just lost her mother after a long illness, and although grieving, she feels strangely liberated. From her new apartment in Toyko, she can see into the window of Nakajima, a student who is quiet, handsome and somehow different. Drawn to each other, they soon begin a romantic relationship. As Chihiro begins to fall in love with Nakajima, she wants to learn his terrible secrets—even as she knows that sometimes the truth can change how you view another person.

Ann: Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. When she is twelve years old, headstrong Bethia Mayfield encounters a young boy her own age on one of her island ramblings. Bethia and Caleb form a bond and a friendship that will last a lifetime. The time is the 1660’s, and Bethia is the daughter of a Puritan minister on the island of Great Harbor (later named Martha’s Vineyard). Caleb is the son of a Wampanoag chieftain. Circumstances lead to Caleb living with the Mayfield family, where Bethia’s father undertakes the formal education of Caleb. Both Caleb and Bethia then move to Cambridge, and Caleb becomes the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. He’s successfully crossed over into the English culture but at what price? This literary novel is based on the actual historical figure of Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk and is a treat for readers of both serious fiction and historical fiction alike.

Chris: Chango’s Beads and Two-Tone Shoes by William Kennedy begins in Albany 1936, travels to Havana 1957 and ends in Albany 1968. Hang with journalist Daniel Quinn and you’ll hear Bing Crosby croon, befriend Hemingway, interview Castro, see Bobby Kennedy killed. And in the midst of the adventures, Quinn meets and falls passionately in love with the unpredictable, debutante revolutionary, Renata.

Janet: Nightwoods by Charles Frazier. Suddenly finding herself in the role of mother to her sister’s troubled twins, Dolores and Frank, Luce’s simple life at the base of an Appalachian Mountain is gone. Now everything is about the children. Luce must learn about her two young charges through trial and error. Unbeknownst to this fledgling family, Bud, Luce’s brother –in-law and the father of the twins has arrived in town to find her, the twins and the money he believes they have. Although found “not guilty” of his wife’s murder, Bud would like to give himself a fresh start by erasing the past even if it means killing his own children. Beautifully written, Nightwoods is and absorbing, suspenseful and satisfying read.

Megan: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain is the story of Hadley Richardson, the first wife of Ernest Hemingway. Following her mother’s death in 1920, a 29-year-old Hadley was ready for a change in her life. To that end, she traveled to Chicago to visit friends. During this visit she met a young man named Ernest Hemingway. Their attraction to each other was immediate and they were married less than a year later. In 1922 the newlyweds head to Paris, where they fall into a circle of famous artists and expatriates. Set against the backdrop of Paris during the Roaring 20’s, this intimate look at a young Hemingway and his first marriage is full of all the beauty, glamour, and heartbreak of that age. Fans of Hemingway, historical fiction, and epic romances will not want to miss this one.

Dori: The Cat’s Table by Michael Ondaatje, a quiet but stirring novel narrated by Michael who, as a young boy, sailed aboard a ship from his home in Ceylon to England in the 1950’s. Traveling alone, Michael is seated, along with a motley crew of dinner companions, at the “Cat’s Table”, the table farthest from the prestigious “Captain’s Table”. There, he meets two other boys and they explore the wondrous ship and its fascinating passengers. As he tells his story, Michael flashes between past and present, looking back on his life changing adventure while exploring he and his friends’ responses to the new world they then grow up in. This is a beautifully written, moving novel about journeys: to a new country and to adulthood.

Steve: After Dark, by Haruki Murakami, is a short novel that mixes some very odd characters and situations together with both wonderful success and disappointing failure. The story centers around trombone player Takahashi and an old acquaintance he runs into, 19 year old Mari, at an all-night Denny’s. There is also a backstory about her gorgeous sister Eri, who announces one day that she is going to sleep, and proceeds to do just that, for two months! We find that she is in some weird dreamlike world and might be in danger from an ambiguous bad guy who seems to watch over her. There is also a cast of characters from a “love hotel” who enter the picture after a Chinese prostitute is beaten. The dialogue between Mari and Takahashi is engaging, and they are surprisingly well developed for such a short work (191 pages). There is a nice sense of mystery surrounding a businessman, Shirakawa, who beat the prostitute. We find out through late night phone calls that he has a loving wife and kids. Throw in a gang that may be out for vengeance against Shirakawa, and a cell phone that makes its way through many of the characters hands, and you have some intriguing scenarios. Unfortunately the story simply ends with no resolution, or sense of what is real and not real for that matter. In a nutshell, imaginative, but not for anyone looking for an ending or sense of satisfaction.

Stacey: When She Woke by Hiliary Jordan is the best kind of literary fiction you could hope to read, combining equal parts thought-provoking, discussable issues and edge-of-your-seat action! In the near future, The United States of America has become a nation in which the Government dictates both moral and legal issues. Hannah is a young woman who’s been chromed, or had her skin chemically altered to red, indicating she’s guilty of murder. Hannah had an abortion. Now she’s left without any real support system, either personal or governmental, and her life is at risk whenever she’s in public. What kind of life can Hannah live, if she lives at all?

The next time we get together we’ll be discussing … Holiday Stories! Are you ready for some holly jolly happenings? Me too!

— Stacey

Science Fiction Fabulous!

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If I had known then, what I know now? Well then, it would have made the perfect start to a science fiction book –and that would have made it perfect for our recent genre book discussion! Science fiction books are generally based on current thinking about the world around us, from politics to the social sciences to hard science, and then the author will alter something in that known world to become –an unknown future. If you’re an inventive dreamer, this genre could be just the right fit for you! Maybe you’d like to see what everyone wrote about their selection?

Megan: White Cat by Holly Black is about Cassel Sharpe, the black sheep in his family. Not only is he not a curse worker, a person who has the supernatural ability to manipulate people’s emotions, luck, and memory, he is a murderer. He has spent three years trying to forget the night he killed his friend Lila. When nightmares and sleepwalking plague his nights he is kicked out of his boarding school and sent to live with his brother. Here he begins to uncover dangerous family secrets and unravel the mystery of Lila’s death. This supernatural thriller is full of danger, mystery and suspense.

Rosemary: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan is the second book in the Ranger’s Apprentice fantasy series. Will is a Ranger in training for the Kingdom of Araluen. He is apprenticed to Halt, a highly respected Ranger who has become Will’s mentor. When Will and his friend Horace are sent on a mission to a nearby village, they find a ghost town, instead of the bustling village they expected. Where have all the villagers gone? Will begins to suspect that the murderous Morgarath is behind the devastation. If this is true, Will and Horace are in for the battle of their lives. The Burning Bridge is another excellent addition to the series. Readers will find Will’s courage and intelligence very appealing. The book, of course, has a cliffhanger ending, which will make readers rush for the next installment.

Janet: Life As We Knew It by young adult author Susan Beth Pfeffer is the first book of a trilogy. The book opens with the introduction of one family and their daily routines. They, along with the rest of the world are anticipating the collision of a large asteroid with the earth’s moon. The collision knocks the moon out of its normal orbit, which is an unexpected turn of events. Starting with twenty- feet- high tsunamis buffeting our eastern seacoast planet earth is changed forever. Survival becomes the name of the game. Our family of four (Mom, Matt, Miranda and Jonny) and neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt work together to help each other in the months that follow. The book is presented in a journal format that is written by Miranda. Life becomes challenging and at times harrowing. The author’s story is quite engrossing. There are many twists and turns and a day-to-day expediency which makes this book a suspenseful story.

Carol: The Clone Codes by Pat, Fred, and John McKissack is set in 2170, a future where humans are ‘firsts’ and clones and cyborgs are known as ‘seconds.’ Clones have been created (with human dna) to do jobs humans don’t want to do. Seconds have no rights and are not treated as humans. 13-year-old Leanna believes this, but things change when her mother is arrested for treason, for fighting for clone rights. When Leanna learns that she is actually a clone, even her friends now want her arrested. This slim novel is the first in a trilogy. Hand this fast-paced, suspenseful read to a young teen or reluctant reader.

Emma: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is the story of Kivrin, a time-traveling Oxford history student in 2048. She expects to travel back to 1320 but ends up in the path of the Black Plague in 1348. Kivrin lives with and nurses the members of a local family who all eventually succumb to the disease. In 21st century Oxford, the community is dealing with another epidemic which hinders the return of Kivrin to present time. Eventually her university tutor arrives from the future and takes Kivrin back home as she is burying the final victim in the small village.
Julie: You might normally skip a novel written by a leading theoretical physicist, but Icarus at the Edge of Time is worth it. Brian Greene transforms the Greek myth into an quick introduction to relativity and black holes with all the drama of the original story and pictures from the Hubble telescope as illustrations.

Ann: Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Miranda’s journal starts the way any teenager’s journal might (talking about school, boys, friends), but then an asteroid hits the moon and knocks it askew and closer to Earth. Miranda’s journal becomes a chronicle of survival. Horrible things happen- tsunamis destroy the coastal areas, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions cause major climate changes. As Miranda’s family copes, little by little everything changes, and life as we knew it ceases. This is a compelling and down to earth, but often bleak story. It makes you want to get a storehouse of supplies ready in case of disaster. The Booklist review sums it up- “each page is filled with events both wearying and terrifying and infused with honest emotions.”

Dori: Zoo City by Lauren Beukes. This science fiction thriller, winner of the Arthur C. Clarke award, stars Zinzi December, ex-journalist, ex-junkie, ex-prisoner. After the death of her brother, Zinzi becomes a ‘zoo’, marked for her crime by an animal companion, a magical skill and a home with the rest of the ‘zoos’ in a violent slum of Johannesburg. Zinzi’s got a sloth slung on her back, a sarcastic wit and a talent for finding lost items. Desperate for cash, she takes a job finding a lost person and ends up entangled with a reclusive record producer and a pair of ‘animalled’ con men. This is a page turning, gritty, fascinating look at a world that parallels our own.

Stacey: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld is one awesomely inventive, Steampunk book. The first of a trilogy, this title introduces the main characters, the alternate version of our world that they live in, and builds to a big action sequence at the end of the novel, making a great cliffhanger for Behemoth, the second of the trilogy. The Archduke of Austria and his wife are murdered, which forces their son Alek to run for his life. Alek comes from a Clanker, mechanically dedicated, country but finds he must hide with an English airship crew; England being a Darwinist or genetically engineered species dependent country. Can such diametrically opposed groups find a middle ground?

Our next discussion will feature literary fiction or books that are viewed as “high quality” or “prize-winning” titles that can be experimental, but should still create a thoughtful, thought-provoking interaction between book and reader. I wonder what everyone will pick?

— Stacey

What a Beachy Good Time!

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Ah. It’s summertime and the weather’s fine (if you like this kind of weather, which I mostly don’t) but who can say they’ve had a satisfying summer without reading an officially suggested “beach book?” Don’t let it be you! No, you don’t have to read these books on a sandy patch of earth or near a large-ish body of water, you just have to be willing to add one more title to your list of books! Who can’t do that? And so, here come nine more for your ever growing list:

Evelyn: Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie. Things go wrong from the start when sisters Sophie and Amy Dempsey arrive in the small town of Temptation, Ohio to film a comeback documentary video for an aging movie star–especially since they run a stop sign and crash into the mayor’s car! Soon the word is out among the locals that they are secretly making a porn flick. Everyone should be crazy for Crusie!

Emma: The Spinster Sisters by Stacey Ballis is the story of sisters Jodi and Jill Spingold. Over the years they built an empire on radio, in bestselling books, and potentially on television helping single women thrive and find happiness. When Jill becomes engaged, Jodi is afraid their business will suffer because it might appear as though one of them is not following their own advice. Eventually all works out for the pair, but it’s a roller coaster process.

Dori: Castle Waiting by Linda Medley is a graphic novel about a group of eccentric characters who find a home and haven in a castle deserted by its princess. Inspired by folklore and fairy tales, Medley weaves together the lives of these quirky folk, creating a witty, warm and imaginative tale that’s the perfect summer read.

Donna: Just Like Heaven is the latest historical romance paperback by Julia Quinn, and the first book in a planned series featuring the Smythe-Smith family. Like all of Quinn’s romances, Just Like Heaven has two likeable, charming main characters with loads of witty and humorous dialogue between the two to make this a fun, entertaining read not only for a few hours of great escape reading on a hot, summer afternoon but also to take along to the beach! Marcus is Honoria’s older brother’s best friend and they have known each other since childhood. While caring for Marcus after he is injured, Honoria begins to realize that what she feels for him is more than friendship. Could Marcus have more than sisterly feelings for her too? The reader knows that the ending will be happy for all but getting to the last page is a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable ride.

Rosemary: The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly is absolute perfection. What reader could ask for more? Lulu Atwater is the great-great granddaughter of Jo March of “Little Women” fame. When Lulu’s mother asks her to fetch something from the attic of their London home, she stumbles upon a treasure trove of letters from Jo March to her sisters. The letters help Lulu accept her own quirky personality. Author Donnelly is spot on in her depictions of sisterly relationships.

Chris: Hollywood Divorces by Jackie Collins presents three Hollywood wives—a star, a starlet and a writer/director—all unhappily married. Shelly really loves her husband, but can’t abide his alcoholism or cheating; Lola didn’t marry the man she loves, but a tennis pro who bores her but generates great PR; and Cat married a rock star, Jump, who takes womanizing to new heights. But you can count on Jackie Collins to give these woman back their power and their happy endings.

Julie: Want a fun book with engaging characters and a lovely happy ending? Then try Summer in the City by Robyn Sisman. When their advertising firm sponsors a job swap, Lloyd and Suze exchange jobs — she moves to New York and he to London. Their impressions of each other from living in each other’s apartment is that they are exact opposites, but when Suze catches wind of a plot to have Lloyd fired, they start communicating and find they might be exactly right for each other. Relax and enjoy!

Carol: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett was my beach read of choice. Because it is set in the lush climate of the Brazilian Amazon, while I was reading this novel during 90 degree weather, I truly felt like a minor character along for the ride in this suspenseful novel of self discovery. When her colleague is reported dead, Dr. Marina Singh, a pharmaceutical research scientist, travels deep into the Amazon to find out what killed him there. After making the difficult journey, Marina becomes immersed in the research being done on a primitive tribe of people whose way of life is both far more challenging and magical than Marina could have ever imagined. Reader, pick up this book and prepare to be left in awe.

Stacey: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall is the third book in the series, and it’s just as amazingly fun to read as the first two! Rosalind, the oldest Penderwick daughter, is vacationing on the Jersey Shore with a friend while her three younger sisters, the family dog Hound, and neighbor boy Jeffery, are spending the summer in a rental house on the coast of Maine with their Aunt Claire. Things get off to a rocky start, but nothing can keep the Penderwicks down for long and in the end becomes the kind of unforgettable summer vacation that is talked about for years to come!

Next up? We’re going to delve into the world of science fiction where the exploration of traditional ideas in non-traditional settings can be more easily explored. Often set in alternate worlds, these stories can range from the “hard” science fiction, more focused on technology and physical sciences, to the “soft” science fiction, more focused on the social sciences. Which will you be reading?

— Stacey

Mysteries are Mysterious!

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As a group, this is one genre we pretty much all enjoy –and read voluntarily. So there weren’t as many surprises as usual. (The titles chosen or the level of unexpected enjoyment are part of the surprisingly good times at the book discussions!) And on top of that? Everyone read a book that featured a crime, not always a murder, and the means, motive, or perpetrator is in doubt. Some of us had amateur detectives, some had professional crime fighters, but we all had plenty of fun reading along until the those clever sleuths found their man -or woman, or whatever needed to be found really… And these are the books we shared:

Evelyn: Big Boned: A Heather Wells Mystery by Meg Cabot. Former teen pop star Heather Wells is now in college and paying her tuition by working as an assistant residence director in Fisher Hall, also known as “Death Dorm,” from previous killings. After going jogging with her new, secret boyfriend, her remedial math professor Tad Tocco, Heather comes to work to find her boss Dr. Veath has been shot in the head through his office window. Soon her sexy landlord, police detective Cooper Cartwright is warning Heather not to get involved in trying to solve the case. As usual, Heather can’t help herself, so, of course, she tracks down the killer. This is the 3rd book in the series, but can stand alone. It’s a funny but also smart and sassy read, with lots of pop culture references. I listened to the downloadable audio version and was laughing out loud.

Megan: Clarity, by Kim Harrington is a page-turning paranormal mystery. In the tourist town of Cape Cod, Clare (Clarity) Fern and her family make a living doing psychic readings. Clare’s psychic gifts are put to the test when a murder rocks the bustling town at the height of the summer season. Even more shocking is the fact that Clare’s brother is the prime suspect. In order to clear her brother’s name, Clare has to work with the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart and the new police chief’s son, a tall, dark, and handsome young man with a mysterious past. The closer they get to solving the crime, the more dangerous things become for Clare.

Donna: I read the latest Aunt Dimity mystery by Nancy Atherton, Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree. In this sixteenth cozy, paranormal mystery series, Lori Shepherd must ask for help from her ghostly Aunt Dimity to help explain all of the strange things that are happening at her father-in-law’s new home that he is renovating near where they live in Finch. Could everything be connected to the mysterious painting of a family tree that was found in the attic? Although the mystery is always fairly simple, the antics of Lori, Aunt Dimity and the delightful townspeople of Finch always make any new addition to the series a treat to read!

Carol: The Priest by Irish author Gerard O’Donovan is a debut mystery that stars Inspector Mike Mulcahy who is forced to leave Spain when his drug squad is disassembled and return home to Dublin where he is awaiting a suitable assignment within the Guard. Mike is temporarily put to work alongside a sex crimes team for his Spanish translation skills but the job becomes more permanent after an attack leaves a young girl brutalized. Soon, the number of victims pile up and the newspapers begin sensationalizing the story of “The Priest,” a maniac who brands his victims with metal crosses. Dubliners pray that this “priest” will soon be brought to justice in this hardboiled, gritty and thrilling mystery—a first in a planned series.

Emma: Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle by Ann B. Ross brings back all the familiar characters in the “Miss Julia” series. Stepson Lloyd comes home from school with shocking news that a body was found in his teacher’s tool shed. The victim who died of natural causes is identified as ex-con Richard Stroud. He had a history of shady financial dealings with various individuals including Miss Julia. What was he doing in Miss Petty’s tool shed? In the midst of the mystery Julia and her extended family are preoccupied with the birth of Hazel Marie’s twins born at home during a blizzard.

Janet: Cripple Creek by James Sallis. Former policeman, therapist, and convict Turner resides in a small town close to Memphis, Tennessee. He serves as the town’s deputy sheriff. A routine traffic stop sets off a series of events that end violently for the town sheriff. Turner goes to Memphis to settle the score, which sets up a back and forth routine of revenge that continues with no end in sight. Turner’s personal life is the other focus of the author. Both facets of this mystery are equally interesting. James Sallis is an author worth reading.

Julie: Murder in the Marais is the first in a series by Cara Black that got rave reviews when it came out in 1999. Aimee Leduc is a corporate security expert in Paris who ends up embroiled in a murder investigation. Aimee is a strong, engaging character, the complex plot moves quickly, and there is a strong sense of place in both modern and WWII era Paris. Fans of Stieg Larsson, Henning Mankel, and Arnaldur Indridason might want to try.

Rosemary: Baker Street Letters by Michael Robertson. A decades old plea for help sends Nigel Heath on an ill-conceived trip to LA, where he winds up in jail charged with murder. The Heath brothers, Reggie and Nigel, rent the former London offices of Sherlock Holmes, 221b Baker Street. With the lease comes the duty of answering any letters addressed to Sherlock Holmes. The letter that sent Nigel to LA was addressed to Holmes. It was from a little girl whose father disappeared after surveying for a proposed subway route. She needs Sherlock’s help but gets Nigel twenty years later.

Chris: Now & Then by Robert B. Parker is another solid Spenser novel with the Boston PI putting his skills to work to uncover the truth behind an antigovernment organization. His long-time friends: Hawk, Vinnie, Chollo and, of course, Susan are there to assist. Liked the pace and snappy dialogue.

Ann: Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson is the fourth mystery featuring Jackson Brodie, ex-cop and sometimes private investigator. In Atkinson’s typical style she weaves and interweaves story lines about a decades old case surrounding the death of a prostitute, a woman in Australia seeking her identity, and a recently retired policewoman who rescues a young girl she perceives as being in danger. Atkinson is a British writer, and this novel is set in Leeds, an industrial northern city in England. It also is Jackson’s hometown. Jackson Brodie is definitely a flawed but “good guy” character and Atkinson is a witty, irreverent, and intelligent writer. I can’t wait for the next book.

Dori: I read Bury Your Dead: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel. A great mystery to read in the winter, Louise Penny’s latest mystery enthralls as it journeys from the present, with the Chief Inspector on a leave of absence, to the past, as the horrible incident that led to his leave unfolds. While on leave he visits an old friend in icy Quebec and begins to investigate the murder of a Champlain enthusiast. As he learns more about the clashes between the French and English in Quebec and delves into the history of the area, he suffers flashbacks that burden his conscience and cause him to reexamine his life’s work.

Stacey: Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward makes for speedy reading. The pages fly by partly because readers will want to know what happens next and partly because the humorous exchanges, between both characters and the co-authors, are so engaging it’s easy to lose track of time. Siblings Lacey and Paul are making a living growing pot in their basement, but that might be a minor issue with law enforcement if the pair decide to report the headless body in the back yard. Is this some sort of message for Lacey and Paul, or is it just an unhappy accident? For complete enjoyment of this unusual mystery, read every page from the Editor’s Letter onward.

Next time? We’re going to embrace our darker side with thrillers and suspense novels! Suspense books put a lot of action in a short time frame, emphasizing the mental and physical danger the protagonist faces. Thrillers have a more complex plot contained in a specific setting, like the courtroom, medical laboratory, or government agency, and are all about finding a way to defeat the evil villain. All right my friends, go forth and read!

— Stacey

Wild, Wild Westerns!

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Would it surprise anyone (or everyone?) if I told you that the group enjoyed our collective, fictional trip back in time to the Old West? I guess it surprised me! And within the group, we covered all the big elements: hero vs. villain, strong sense of the western location, a clear problem to be fixed, and flawed characters who rise to the occasion. Some of us went more traditional, and some of us went for a more modern-style western, and some went for equal parts western and other, but not one of these books will leave you looking for a hero…they’re on most every page!

Carol: Written in Blood by J. Lee Butts. U.S. Marshal Hayden Tilden is shocked to learn that his good friend and Deputy John Henry Slate has committed a triple murder. As Tilden and his brotherhood of Marshals set out to track John Henry down, Tilden recounts one of their most deadly adventures together, the capture of deadly Blackheart gang. Once (or if) readers get past the over the top use of stereotypical vernacular in this western, it is a enjoyable quick read. But with violent descriptions, this may not be for everyone.

Emma: Stranger in Thunder Basin by John D. Nesbitt is a tale of revenge. When Ed was a little boy he witnessed the aftermath of the murder of his “Pa-Pa” as the killer took off on his horse. Ed would never forget the man’s face. Many years later he sees the killer and leaves his job as a blacksmith to become a ranch hand on the Thunder Basin ranch in order to get close to him. Did the murderer act alone or was he following orders? By following leads Ed meets the mother he never knew and kills three men.

Evelyn: Cowboy for Keeps by Debra Clopton. Rancher/attorney Wyatt Turner, severely injured in an airplane crash, has always accepted responsibility for things in his life. First, it was raising his younger brothers after the deaths of their parents, and now it is for his ranch, law practice, and much of the small Texas town of Mule Hollow. His brothers hire a physical therapist to help him back on his feet. But can Wyatt actually let go and learn to accept his blessings from a 24-year-old young woman with only one leg? This is a heart-warming story of love and acceptance.

Donna: Blue-eyed Devil by Robert B. Parker. Published after the author’s death in 2010, this is the fourth (and sadly, the last) western featuring gunslingers Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. These characters were first introduced in Appaloosa where they cleaned up the town from the bad guys before moving on to other adventures in Resolution and Brimstone. Now, they have returned to the small town of Appaloosa only to find that its new police chief is corrupt and extorting protection money from the town’s residents. Written in the typical Parker style of short, terse chapters with sparse, witty dialogue, this western is a quick, entertaining read. Virgil and Everett are truly memorable characters.

Megan: Justice Riders by Chuck Norris is the story of Ezra Justice and his motley crew of elite warriors known as the Justice Riders. As the American Civil War comes to an end Justice and his men head to the wild west to deliver the body of one of their fallen to his widow. Their journey west is dangerous and they meet many seedy characters along the way. The characters are flat and stereotypical and some historical details are questionable. Violence and action keep the story moving more than the a strong plotline. Fans of westerns will find more satisfying tales of adventure elsewhere.

Dori: In True Grit by Charles Portis, bible quoting Mattie Ross narrates the story of when, at age 14, she leaves her home in Arkansas to hunt down her father’s killer Tom Chaney. She seeks out the toughest U.S. Marshal she can find, one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, and they head into Indian Territory alongside a Texas Ranger named LeBouef. Mattie’s no-nonsense style and piety add humor and cadence to this bloody tale of the Old West.

Rosemary: Conagher by Louis L’Amour is an enjoyable Western featuring Conagher, an honorable loner, and Evie Teale, a courageous widow with two children. The chaste love story of Conagher and Evie is woven throughout his cattle ranching and Evie’s lonely struggle to survive as a homesteader. L’Amour writes in the classic Western style. What really appealed to this reader was the basic goodness of the two main characters and how L’Amour treated the character of Evie with so much admiration and respect.

Janet: Will of Steel by Diana Palmer describes the stubborn demeanor of the two main characters, Theodore and Jillian. They have jointly inherited land in their hometown in Montana from their two uncles but only if they marry. It will take a threat from Jillian’s past for Theodore and Jillian to see each other in a totally different light.

Ann: Wake of Forgiveness by Bruce Machart begins in 1895 in south Texas, when the wife of Vaclav Skala dies in childbirth leaving him a widower with 4 young sons. From that time on, Skala becomes bitter and hard. The only affection he seems to have remaining is for his horses. The story jumps ahead to 1910 when the youngest son, Karel, is now a man, married, and with a third child on the way. A falling out with his three brothers keeps Karel from talking with any of them. Moving forward and backward in time we learn the family story of these stubborn Skala men, bound to the land, their horses, and each other.

Stacey: Never Love a Lawman by Jo Goodman is a western with strong romantic elements. Rachel Bailey was looking to escape a bad situation back home and Reidsville, CO was the obvious choice after inheriting the mining town’s railroad spur. Sheriff Wyatt Cooper isn’t just the local law, he’s a well-educated lawyer and he’s been entrusted with Rachel’s safety, both for her sake and the sake of the town. Of course Rachel isn’t looking to be kept safe, she wants to fight her own battles. Will these two find a way to work together and save the town?

Our next selection of books will be full of murder and mayhem! We’ll be discussing.. mystery stories! Mysteries feature a crime, clues, and a solution. Sometimes the challenge of finding who, what, and why, is accepted by an accidental sleuth and sometimes it’s a professional who’s looking into the matter. How clever!

— Stacey