Julia Ferrar and Marissa Rogers have been friends since their high school days in Michigan. Marissa is an editor for a health magazine and Julia is a publicist for a ballet company in New York. Their friendship survives quite a bit over the years, including an onerous boyfriend breakup in college at the behest of Julia. Now Julia is suffering from traumatic brain injury and isn't the pivotal point in Marissa's life. Julia returns to Michigan to recover and Marissa must find the nerve to move on in New York. Although you can't go back in time, Julia's return to Michigan brings an old love back into Marissa's life. Will she be able to withstand Julia's current machinations? Can they both move forward without reliving mistakes from their past?


Marissa is, in many ways, the every-woman. She has moments when she is lacking in self-confidence and is sure that those last 10 pounds will allow her to feel more comfortable in her own body. She loves her current boyfriend but constantly wonders about the one that got away. It isn't until Marissa begins to work as a mentor/coach in an after-school running program that she learns that self-confidence and self-esteem must come from within. I enjoyed reading about the self-discovery and self-awareness that evolves in both Marissa and Julia. I have to say that I didn't really like Julia as a person or a friend. I thought she was too manipulative and insistent on getting her way no matter what. It's as if she expects Marissa's life to revolve around her needs, and this is before the brain injury occurred. However, without Julia there is no impetus for Marissa to challenge herself and move forward. This is not just a "feel good" read but an honest and insightful look at friendship. The Art of Forgetting is scheduled for release on June 9th.

First, I have to say that the actual story-line and characters are brilliantly presented. The only detraction I can make about the book are the often wordy, overly descriptive passages about minutiae. I didn't feel it added to the story and, as a result, slowed the story down (at least for me). This is probably destined to be a love it or hate it book, and I can fully understand those that love it, although I'm not in that majority.

Parents are often willing to do anything to protect their children, even if it means protecting them from the law. Andy Barber doesn't intend to circumvent the law, as he has spent the majority of his adult life upholding the law as an assistant district attorney. But Andy knows that his family background may play a larger role than anyone expects. Andy's father and grandfather were career criminals and both were accused and convicted of murder. Andy had told Laurie that his father was dead; now that she knows the truth about his heritage she is shocked that he misled her all these years. The shock of Andy's lineage coupled with Jacob's arrest and the impending trial might be too much. As the family prepares for the trial, Andy does several things that may be construed as obstruction of justice but he simply views his actions as protecting his child. Even after the family begins counseling and Laurie discloses problems with Jacob's behavior as a child, Andy remains in denial about their son. Is it possible that Jacob has behavioral problems bordering on sociopathy like his grandfather and great-grandfather?
Defending Jacob is a tense legal, suspense thriller filled with drama centering on one parent's inability to accept the possible truth about their child. Laurie knows that Jacob isn't like the other kids and she fears that she may have done something to cause his behavioral problems. Laurie is willing to do whatever is necessary to get Jacob the help he needs from a psychological perspective. Andy is willing to do whatever is necessary to get Jacob the legal help he needs to be acquitted. Both parents are "defending" their son in the only way they can, yet neither can fully accept nor understand the other parents’ point of view. Mr. Landay has provided a story that doesn't disappoint from beginning to end.

My first exposure to Silas House was with A PARCHMENT OF LEAVES. After reading it I promptly put his other books on my TBR list but sadly had only read ELI THE GOOD before our book club chose CLAY'S QUILT. Mr. House has a unique way of bringing the reader into the story and empathizing with the characters from beginning to end. The characters and theme of CLAY'S QUILT aren't necessarily unique to Kentucky but perhaps found throughout Appalachia. Clay, Cake, Dreama, Alma, Aunt Easter and Uncle Gabe are thoroughly believable perhaps because they are simplistic in their worldview...family first and family isn't limited to blood relations.

MAJOR PETTIGREW'S LAST STAND seemed to be just as much about cultural traditions and nationalism as it was about romance and prejudice. Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali provide the romantic focus of this delightful story, while also being at the center of cultural disputes. They're both victims of cultural and familial expectations. Although a slow read, I was pulled into the story and continued to read just to learn what would happen next.

Kate Vaughan has loved and lost and will probably be the first to tell you that it isn't better to have loved and lost than never at all. Losing those she's loved has been hard and that pain and loss have been with her every day for the past thirteen years. She's tried to move on with her life and has a successful boutique and is in loving relationship, but she craves what she has lost. In an effort to say goodbye to her past, she makes a trip to Alabama to visit her ex. Jack has moved on with his life and although he's glad to see her he doesn't want to revisit the past. Just when it seems like things couldn't get any worse, her current boyfriend shows up in Alabama . . . at Jack's house. Kate is forced to reveal the secrets of her past and only hopes that Rowan can understand and that they can move forward. Easier said than done because the daughter she gave up for adoption has tracked her down. Kate now has her two lost loves back in her life but isn't quite sure what to do with them.

Ms. Henry has provided a story that deals with love, loss and the consequences of our choices. Kate has to deal with the constant reminder from her parents of their lost first grandchild. She deals with the anguish of giving up her daughter for adoption each year on her birthday. Kate wants to build a future with Rowan but is that even possible when she can't let go of the past? Now that she has contact with her biological daughter what does that mean for her and her family, not to mention her daughter's adoptive family? The choices that Kate and others make have unforeseen consequences, some good, some bad and some downright heartbreaking. There aren't any bad guys in this story as everyone is simply trying to do what is best for their families as well as themselves. And Then I Found You is an excellent reminder that we can't live in the past and sometimes the only way to keep something in our lives is to let go . . . trite but fundamentally true. And Then I Found You isn't a happy ever after story but it is a hopeful ever after, as the reader is left with the hope that everything will work out after all.

The Bravo family has a history of tragedy and heartache. The matriarch, Alma Bolton Bravo, was raised in a well-to-do family and never wanted for anything. Alma decided as a teenager that she wanted to be different, so she chose to marry a man that was as different from her family as she could find, Dean Bravo. The first tragedy in their lives occurred on their honeymoon, when Alma is in a boating accident that causes the amputation of her toes and splits her foot. Of course it doesn't help that the cause of the accident was Dean's refusal to have a third party as a spotter to go out with them so Alma could water-ski safely. Years pass, Alma and Dean have four children and are barely making ends meet and the second tragedy occurs with the death of their youngest child. As the years pass, it is evident that their eldest, Sofia has mental health issues (she was diagnosed as manic-depressive with OCD). Dean, a heavy drinker, winds up deserting the family shortly after the death of their youngest child. Alma makes do and eventually buys out her brother-in-law's business, a local bar and grill. Carson Bravo, the eldest son, marries and moves away from home and starts his own business. Frank Bravo, the youngest son, still lives in Utina and runs the restaurant, a job he's had since he was nineteen years old. Sofia lives at home with her mother and helps her brother out by cleaning the restaurant every morning.

On the surface it appears that the Bravo family is just a family dealing with the usual family issues and dysfunctions, but the Bravos are dealing with more than tragedy, heartache and mental health issues. Frank is in love with his sister-in-law and wants to move away from Utina and live a quiet life. He knows this won't happen as long as his mother and sister are around and need him. Carson has made a mess of both his marriage and his business and needs to find a quick fix for both before he winds up divorced, in prison or worse. Sofia struggles with her mental health issues, but she is surviving and has found love for the first time in her life at age forty-three. Alma, as the matriarch, worries about her children but knows that she can no longer control them. The family is offered the chance to make a large sum of money and leave Utina behind, something they think about or say they want until the opportunity is presented to them.

Ms. Smith has captured the essence of family in all its dysfunction in Heart of Palm. As I read, I was reminded of the line from Tolstoy's Anna Karenina: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." The Bravos are unhappy in their own special way. There aren't any true bad guys in Heart of Palm, as each Bravo family member deals with their own secrets and guilt. Dean and Alma aren't the best parents, but they did what they could for their family to the best of their abilities. Sofia, Carson and Frank aren't loving siblings but they are there for one another when needed. Carson's wife Elizabeth, and daughter Bell, add their own idiosyncrasies to the family. Sofia's love interest, Biaggio, works with and for the Bravo family and he considers himself a family member even before he and Sofia decide to marry. Heart of Palm is filled with angst, drama, greed, guilt, pain, suffering, forgiveness, and love . . . all the things that make a family a family. If you're looking for a well-written story about family and small-town living, then I strongly recommend Heart of Palm.

Molly Ayers is about to age out of the foster-care system. One stupid mistake, attempting to steal a library book, forces her to accept community service hours or be placed in juvenile detention or jail. Molly chooses community service but isn\'t sure where she\'ll be able to get the hours she needs. Fortunately Molly\'s boyfriend Jack is able to arrange for Molly to help an elderly woman clean out her attic for her hours. Molly stands out in Spruce Harbor, Maine. She dresses in Goth style in an effort to keep people away. If people don\'t get close, she won\'t have to worry about them leaving or hurting her. Molly has been in foster care for nine years and lived in more than twelve foster homes. Some homes were good and some were very bad. Her current foster father, Ralph Thibodeau, is anxious to provide a stable home for Molly. Ralph\'s wife, Dina, doesn\'t like the hassle of another mouth to feed or dealing with any of the problems that Molly faces. Jack is the only person she\'s really connected with in Spruce Harbor until she meets Vivian.

Vivian Daly was born Niamh (pronounced Neev) Power in Ireland in 1909. She immigrated to the US with her family in the late 1920s and became an orphan in 1929. The Children\'s Aid Society of New York gathered her and other orphans up and shipped them via train to the Midwest to be adopted. Her name was changed to Dorothy along the way and she was first sent to live with Mr. and Mrs. Byrne in Albans, Minnesota where she basically became an indentured servant sewing women\'s clothing. After the stock market crash and loss of incoming business, she is sent to live with Mr. and Mrs. Grotto as a mother\'s helper, where she lives in squalor and has to deal with being molested by Mr. Grotto. After running away from the Grotto family and temporarily being taken in by her school teacher, Miss Larsen, she is finally adopted by a loving family and formally becomes Vivian Nielsen (named after the Nielsen\'s dead daughter). She later marries and remarries and operates a successful business before retiring from Minnesota to Maine.

Vivian and Molly have a lot in common due to their backgrounds as orphans. Molly quickly learns about Vivian\'s life as an orphan and the trials of being on the \"orphan train.\" Jack and his mother Terry (Vivian\'s housekeeper), feel that Molly is taking advantage of Vivian but Molly quickly explains that she is helping Vivian revisit and organize the tokens of her past since Vivian doesn\'t really want to part with anything.

Orphan Train mixes happy with sad, good with bad, and pretty with ugly, much like life to tell an interesting story of two women born seventy-four years apart with similar lives as orphans. I found all of the characters to be fully developed and rather enjoyed the seesaw presentation of past and present. I\'ve got to say that I was initially drawn to the story because one of the characters is named Vivian (not a lot of us in the world). I could go on and on and on about this book, but let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Orphan Train. If you enjoyed reading The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh or just want a great read, then I highly recommend Orphan Train.

THE GLASS CASTLE is not a read for the weak-at-heart. Ms. Walls provides an unapologetic view of her life in abject poverty in Arizona, Nevada, California and West Virginia. Her parents were negligent, her mother possibly mentally ill, and her father an alcoholic and a genius. It was difficult to read about some of the instances of sexual abuse described in the book, but fortunately the author and her siblings survived.

This book is well-written, highly descriptive, and emotive. The story is told in the different voices of the characters and goes back and forth in time, from 1962 to the present. It may be a bit trite to say, but this author truly paints a picture for the reader with his words. The beginning may be a bit slow or awkward for some, but (trust me) stick with it to the end and you won't be disappointed!

Dorrie Curtis is a divorced, single-mom, small-business owner and a strong, Black woman. She's dealt with a lot of disappointment in her life but is striving to be better and do better, so that she can provide for her family. She's also struggling with her "relationship" with Teague, as she's never dealt with a strong, reliable, responsible and loving man before. Over the past ten years she's built a relationship that has gone way beyond hairdresser and customer with Ms. Isabelle. When Ms. Isabelle asks her to take time away from her business and family to drive her to Ohio for a funeral, Dorrie briefly hesitates but realizes this is no small request and agrees.

Isabelle McAllister is an elderly widow who just happens to be White. She was raised in Kentucky in the 1920s and 1930s with a different mentality and approach toward minorities. Unfortunately she didn't share those opinions. One of her childhood friends was Nell, the daughter of their family's housekeeper/cook, Cora Prewitt. As a teenager, Nell became the family's maid and the continuing friendship was frowned upon. And if a friendship with the maid was frowned upon, then a friendship with the maid's brother Robert was downright dangerous. Yet Isabelle throws caution to the wind and discovers she has more in common with Robert than with any of the boys her parents consider eligible beaus. In a time when a Black man could be lynched just for looking at a White woman the wrong way, allowing a friendship to develop into a romance was potentially lethal, at least for Robert. Robert and Isabelle runaway from Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio where it is legal for a Black man and White woman to marry and they do just that . . . marry. Their happiness as a married couple is short-lived as Isabelle's father and brothers track them down and force Isabelle to return to Kentucky. Her marriage is annulled as she's underage and she is literally made a prisoner by her family. After her confinement, she once again runs away, eventually meets another man, remarries and has a family. But she's never able to leave behind the memories of her first love, her first marriage, and the impact it had on her and the entire Prewitt family

Dorrie and Ms. Isabelle have stories that are told in alternating chapters. Not only do the chapters alternate between Dorrie and Ms. Isabelle, but they alternate between past and present. Ms. Isabelle reveals her past during the long drive between Texas and Ohio and oh what a past. Calling Me Home is more than a story about prejudice and race relations, it is a story about hope and love. Ms. Isabelle had a great love with Robert Prewitt even though it was at a time when society frowned upon a White woman marrying a Black man. Over the years Ms. Isabelle had been forced to give up so much, but she's realizing that she also has much with her friendship with Dorrie. Dorrie is also realizing that although her life has been rough and she's had to deal with more in-your-face racism and prejudice that she's not dealt with anything as harshly as Ms. Isabelle's life. These women unexpectedly become not only friends but family with Ms. Isabelle considering Dorrie the equivalent of a daughter or granddaughter and Dorrie considering Ms. Isabelle the mother or grandmother she's always wanted but never had. Ms. Kibler has created characters that touch the heart, trite but true. One can only feel empathy toward Isabelle as a young woman struggling against society and her family and hoping that love will conquer all. It isn't possible to read about Dorrie and her son's dilemma and not see that it reflects Ms. Isabelle's life story. Both Dorrie and Ms. Isabelle initially come across as somewhat cantankerous women, but that's only a shield they both use to protect themselves. The drama and sorrow of this story seem to culminate with the funeral in Ohio. It is a huge surprise and one that seems to present some resolution to past hurts. I loved reading Calling Me Home so much that I've read it twice now in the past two months. If you ignore any other recommendation I may give to you don't ignore this one: read this book!

Samantha Moore is a young twenty-something female whose life has been turned upside down. She grew up in foster care and spent most of her life immersed in books, so much that she uses literary quotes to relate to people. Unfortunately this has a tendency to push people away rather than pull them closer. She's recently lost her job and subsequently her apartment. Forced to return to the only home she's known, she heads back to Grace House. However, her stay doesn't come without strings. She'll only be allowed to stay there if she pursues an additional degree. The priest at Grace House, Father John, persuades Samantha to apply to both the Medill School of Journalism and for a grant from the Dover Foundation. After her acceptance to Medill, she is awarded a grant that covers all of her graduate school expenses but she is required to send letters to the head of the foundation providing updates on her progress.

These letters began with rather benign updates but eventually begin to reveal who Samantha is at heart through her interactions with her friends, peers, professors, and acquaintances. These letters also reveal many of the struggles Samantha must endure in her quest to finish her graduate degree. These struggles include a holiday bout with a ruptured appendix, being mugged, and her mental struggle with her degree choice. Fortunately these struggles result in Samantha finding housing closer to the school and negate her having to travel great distances late at night, she also befriends the author Alex Powell and his friends, the Muirs.

Dear Mr. Knightley was actually the first epistolary novel I've read. I thought it would be off-putting reading a novel in letter format, but all of the action and dialogue between the characters are revealed in these letters so at times it didn't even feel like I was reading in a different format. Samantha is a difficult character to understand as she's somewhat prickly at first and doesn't really know who she is since she's spent so much time trying to channel her favorite characters and use literature to try and connect with people. It isn't until she befriends a fellow orphan at Grace House, Kyle, and later Alex that she begins to grow and learn to love and trust. In many ways Dear Mr. Knightley is a coming-of-age story with a twist. I felt all of the characters were well-developed and realistic. It was heartening to watch Samantha grow and learn from her mistakes, although at times others had to point these mistakes out to her. I found Dear Mr. Knightley to be an engaging and fast read that was filled with self-discovery, romance, and drama. If you enjoy reading uplifting or inspirational fiction, then you'll definitely want to add Dear Mr. Knightley to your reading list. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Reay in the future.

There are numerous books about slaves and the Deep South but few leave an indelible impression on this reader. The Healing by Jonathan Odell is one such book. Granada is born into slavery but has spent most of her young life at the side of the plantation mistress, much like a pet. Unfortunately Granada views her life through rose-tinted glasses and presumes that she is much better than other slaves simply because of her so-called status with the mistress. When Master Satterfield faces a plague that is devastating his slave population he brings in an older woman that has a well-known reputation as a healer, Polly Shine.

In many aspects, Polly has the same amount of leeway to practice her healing arts and live her life as Granada had during her younger years. Polly's request that Granada join her in practicing healing is met with plenty of discomfort and tension, especially on the part of Granada. Although a slave, Polly has many ideas on what slavery and freedom entail and these ideas cause a split amongst many of the slaves into those that accept and understand her feelings and those that feel she is a troublemaker. Ultimately Polly ends up teaching Granada much of the healing arts, as well as providing hope to some of the slaves on the Satterfield plantation.

Fast forward seventy-five years and Granada still lives on the plantation where she was born. The area has devolved into housing for many of the blacks descended from the slaves. Granada still practices the healing arts but there aren't many who approach her for assistance, until a young girl, Violet, is left in her care. Violet is dealing with abandonment issues relating to her mother's death and being left in Gran-Gran's custody. As she slowly heals, Violet discovers the history of the plantation and gorges herself on the Gran-Gran's memories of the people and events from the past. The Healing is just as much a story of the healing practices of Granada and Polly Shine as it is about the healing that Violet brings to Gran-Gran years after slavery has ended.

I\\\'ve had the opportunity to read this twice over the past few months for two different book groups and both groups loved this book. The insight, albeit fictionalized, into Autism provided for some of the best discussions. Even though some readers felt the ending was a bit contrived, this book remained a well-thought of and highly liked read.

Many of us would probably change things we've done in the past or behaviors we know have if we only had the chance. The best thing about WHAT ALICE FORGOT is that Alice, and indeed her entire family, has the opportunity to reflect upon their past, see where they are now, and make proactive changes to their future. Although I found this to be a fast-paced read, I did feel it was bogged down by the letter-writing of the grandmother and journal entries of the sister. One or two of these would have been fine but overall it didn't really help the story and may have negatively impacted on the overall pleasure in reading.

Emily Shepard didn't have a perfect family life. Her parents drank too much, especially her father. They fought, usually about the drinking. But they provided Emily with everything a girl could ask for: a great education, travel, a wonderful home, and love (in between the drinking and fighting). All that changes when the nuclear power plant that her father is responsible for melts down and explodes. Suddenly her world is turned upside down and her parents are considered the biggest losers in the world. Is it any wonder that Emily decides to run to escape the chaos after this disaster?

What Emily doesn't know at age sixteen is that you can't run away from life. She quickly learns that her privileged life hasn't really prepared her for a life on the streets. She also learns that when you're down-and-out you're willing to do almost anything in order to survive. Emily learns that prostitution at the local truck stop can provide her with quick cash. She learns to work the system in order to get a bath, where you can hangout during the day, which shops she can shoplift from and which ones she can't. She makes up a life for herself and tries to drown her sorrows, fear and grief in drugs and self-mutilation. Over the course of nine months Emily learns how to survive on the streets and becomes a big sister/mother figure to another runaway, nine-year-old Cameron. Emily's carefully constructed life quickly disintegrates when another tragedy strikes. Will she be able to survive this latest tragedy or will she completely self-destruct?

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is presented in the form of journal entries by Emily as she reflects on her life after the power plant accident. Emily hints at the notion that she may have a mental health issue and she learns to self-medicate with drugs while on the street. Her reflections on the power plant accident, her journey to Burlington, her struggles to remake herself, the prostitution, the self-abuse or cutting, the stealing, the drugs and the friends she makes and loses could make for a disheartening story. However Chris Bohjalian is a master at telling a story that truly plucks at your heartstrings and uplifts at the same time. Emily's story could be the story of almost any teenager left without family or friends after a natural disaster, the only difference is her father is blamed for this disaster and it is by no means natural in origins. This wasn't an easy read and it shouldn't be given the themes that are discussed. Seriously, nuclear meltdown, radiation contamination, mass population exodus, teenage prostitution, teenage drug abuse, homelessness, and child and teen runaways aren't exactly light topics. Nonetheless, Mr. Bohjalian has crafted a story that deals with these dark themes and still provides the reader with a sense of hope that things will work out in the end. This isn't a story about good versus evil, but simply a story about self-awareness, self-acceptance, and survival. If you want to read a moving story that will make you think for hours, if not days or weeks, after reading it, then run out and buy a copy of Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands now. Trust me, this is a great read!

Garnet Ferrari is the object of either extreme prejudice or adoration in her hometown of Sweetwater, West Virginia. To most of the children in town and some of the parents, she is feared and hated because she is different. To the nonnas (Italian grandmothers) and a few others, she is adored for her mystical healing powers. Although Garnet's childhood isn't ideal it is filled with family and love, but all of that quickly changes with one traumatic incident quickly followed by a horrific accident that devastates the entire Ferrari family.

The Patron Saint of Ugly is a fast-paced read about love, survival, and hope. All Garnet, indeed any of the women married into the Ferrari family, want is to be loved. Garnet spends the beginning of her childhood being tortured by the ugly taunts of others. She spends her adolescence and early adulthood striving to be overlooked. It isn't until she returns to Sweetwater as an adult that she seems to overcome the struggle of being perceived as "normal."

The Patron Saint of Ugly evoked a lot of responses from me while I was reading: sadness, empathy, sympathy, and laughter. Garnet's nonna was the source of much of that laughter with her machinations during Garnet's childhood and adulthood. Much of the story takes place in either Italy in the early 1920s, West Virginia in the 1950s, early 1960s, and mid 1970s. Ms. Manilla's characters are either extremely lovable or despised. I don't think any reader will like Garnet's grandfather, maternal grandmother, or La Strega (no, I'm not going to tell you who La Strega is . . . read the book). Garnet's story is gradually revealed in a series of taped reminiscences for the Vatican, as she attempts to debunk her so-called healing gifts. It is in these narrations that we learn the back-stories for her nonna and mother, as well as learning about Garnet’s inner longings and desires. If you enjoy reading well-crafted fiction that combines humor, a quest for survival, a longing for normality, mythic origins, and a touch of magic, then The Patron Saint of Ugly is one story you have to read.

Imagine you only have five days left to say goodbye to a loved one. Now imagine two different families in this situation. One family resides in Michigan and includes two foster-parents and a young boy about to be returned to his biological mother after a year. The other family resides in Texas and consists of an adoptive couple, their adopted daughter, and the adoptive mother's adoptive parents. The Texas family is dealing with a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder and the mother, although only 42 years of age, is contemplating suicide rather than giving into this horrible disease process. These two scenarios provide the foundation of the story Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer.

Mara Nichols is a young, urban professional residing in Texas. She's at the peak of her career as an attorney. Her husband, Tom, is a physician with a thriving practice. Tom and Mara have been together for more than twenty years. They adopted their daughter, Lakshmi, as an infant from India and are now the proud parents of a kindergartner. Regrettably their lives were given a major twist when Mara was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease or HD four years ago. Since that initial diagnosis, Mara has suffered from a host of HD symptoms, including short term memory loss, balance and gait issues, bladder control, mood swings, and more. She has been forced to take early retirement from her beloved career as an attorney and partner in a law firm, can no longer drive due to motor control issues, and is scared beyond belief that she is unwittingly forcing her family to suffer along with her as HD destroys who she is as a person. Mara's one saving grace is her online link to a forum for adoptive, foster, and step parents. It is in this forum that she can voice her parenting issues without question or judgment. It is here that she finds friendship with MotorCity, also known as Scott Coffman.

Scott Coffman is an English teacher at an inner city Detroit middle school. Scott also coaches basketball at his school and considers himself fortunate to have met some outstanding talent, including Brayden Jackson, his foster-son's older brother. He and his wife have been trying to get pregnant for years through IVF. Now that their lives are focused on a slightly hyperactive, mild behaviorally challenged seven-year-old boy, there's less stress about getting pregnant so of course they actually get pregnant with their last round of IVF. Scott's wife isn't exactly eager for their year of fostering to be over, but she is eager to have some time alone with her husband before their biological child is born. Scott is torn between wanting what is best for his son Curtis (when did he stop thinking of him as a foster child but as his child) and wanting to keep him to ensure he has everything a child deserves: a clean home, three meals a day, clean clothes, and involved parents.

I've got to admit that I put off reading Five Days Left simply because I thought the story was going to be depressing and morbid. It isn't. Don't get me wrong, it is sad. I don't think you can read about someone with a degenerative life-threatening disease and a child being raised in filth without basic amenities like running water by a drug-addicted mother without it being sad. But Ms. Timmer has also provided glimpses of hope amidst the sadness. Mara's story is sad and heart-wrenching, but the love her family and friends have for her and one another is uplifting. It was incredibly disturbing to read about Mara's decline due to HD (there's one incident in the grocery store and another in the elementary school that had me taking a break just to dry my eyes). I was just as torn as Scott when Curtis's biological mother decides to take him back days before he was scheduled to leave the Coffmans. What made it worse was he wasn't even given the opportunity to say goodbye.

Five Days Left is told in alternating voices of Mara and Scott. Although the action takes place over the course of five days, there's a lot jammed into those days. Yes, you'll probably need to have a box of tissues handy when you read this story, but sadness isn't the only thing you'll remember about this story. Five Days Left focuses on love and the families we make as a result of that love. Some of those families are built with blood ties, and others are built through adoption, fostering, step-parenting, and friendship. I found Five Days Left to be a remarkable story with realistic characters and scenarios. Five Days Left is simply an amazing story and I know this review probably doesn't do it justice, so if you're going to take anything away from my thoughts take this . . . you should definitely read Five Days Left.

You wouldn't think a book about someone considering suicide would be life affirming, but ME BEFORE YOU is exactly that. Ms. Moyes provides a beautifully written story, with great characters and character development. For me, this was simply a well-written story that makes me want to read more from this author.

Mr. Northup has provided an insightful view of slavery from the perspective of a free man abducted and forced into slavery. His memoir reads more like a report and is told without emotion or going into graphic detail of the torture slaves endured. Although a difficult read for some due to the subject matter, it is one that I found to be highly informative, insightful, and hauntingly beautiful despite the difficult themes.

I've heard people rave about Wally Lamb and his books, so when our group chose this as a group read I was delighted...until I started reading. The main plot seemed cliched and contrived. The characters were more caricatures and stereotypes than fully-developed characters. If that wasn't enough (it was for me), there were far too many extraneous chapters that seemed to be nothing more than filler.

Although no one in my group seemed to like this book or any of the characters, it did make for a lively discussion. A discussion on everything wrong with the book, but a lively discussion nonetheless.

FAMILY TREE deals with some weight topics: racial identity, family history, racism, bigotry, and more. Although I enjoyed reading this book, it wasn't until after my group's discussion that I accepted the author dealt with most of these in a very superficial manner. Some of the characters and their behaviors are more stereotypical than realistic and detracted from the overall enjoyment by most of my group's members. Even with these issues, I enjoyed re-reading this book and will probably re-read it in the future.

I was initially excited about finally getting around to reading this book. I thought the first half of the story was somewhat slow and plodding. This is an interesting character study, but it didn't really keep my attention as a mystery, thriller, or so-called psychological thriller the first time I read it. The second time I read it, I LOVED IT! Even with a previous reading (and the fact that I didn't really enjoy it the first time around), I found myself captivated by the host of unreliable narrators, namely Rachel, Megan, and Anna, not to mention the other unreliable characters Tom and Scott. This will invariably be one of those love it or hate it books. I think the author's dividing this story into multiple timelines and character narrations keeps the reader as off-balance as the primary character, Rachel. If you're having difficulty with this book, please set it aside, give yourself a few days, and come back to it fresh. Hopefully you'll find yourself sucked into the drama.

For some readers, the first portion of the book is engrossing and the second portion slower-paced. I found the first portion to be slow simply because I wanted to shake Mern for her selfishness and lack of maternal instincts. I empathized with Eunice and hoped her life would get better. I was hopeful when she was with Rose and even when she was with her foster family. Eunice's life with Fox wasn't idyllic, but she seemed to find her place and I was subsequently happy for her even with the problems she faced being with an older disabled man. This is one of those stories that most people seem to either like or loathe. There doesn't seem to be a lot of happiness in Eunice's life, but realistically there isn't a lot of happiness in many people's lives. Whether you like or loathe this story, Ms. Kushner has crafted a beautifully written story with memorable characters.

This book has been on my TBR list for quite some time so I was excited when it was chosen as a book group read. I expected to finish reading this book with a list of books to add to that TBR list, but that didn't happen. I empathized with Mrs. Schwalbe and her cancer treatments and applaud the Schwalbes for instilling a love of reading and giving back in their children. That's about the best I can say about this book. I didn't really connect with the reality of the people in this memoir nor could I related to their experiences. I'm glad I read this book, but I don't think I'll be recommending to anyone else anytime soon.

Our group found it difficult to discuss this collection, simply because it was all short stories. However, we all enjoyed the collection and definitely had our favorite stories ("The Sleeper and the Spindle" was a big favorite).

THE NIGHTINGALE is a good historical fiction read and provides some insight into the French Resistance movement from a female perspective. There were some things in the plot that I found questionable (such as no one revealing that Daniel was actually Ari, the Jewish son of Rachel), but this was a relatively minor issue.

I've had the opportunity to read this book twice over the past few months for different book groups. (Yes, I re-read books.) I didn't connect to the book with my first reading and was hoping that I'd find something redeeming during the second read. Alas, I did not. Turns out, not many in either group could appreciate this book even though we've read and enjoyed other titles by this author. This is just one example of no one book, no matter how well written, will be liked or appreciated by all.

What are you? For many biracial/multiracial children, this is a question that they must deal with on a regular basis. Rachel is a child that has never had to face her racial identity until after the tragic deaths of her mother and siblings. THE GIRL WHO FELL FROM THE SKY is so much more than a tragic story of the suicide of Rachel's mother, the murder of her siblings, and Rachel's injuries and survival. It is part coming-of-age, part search for identity, and part race relations in a wholly non-threatening manner. This book provides much food for thought and discussion. Don't be afraid to read it because it just may surprise you how much you'll enjoy it.

There are so many things I enjoyed about this story: fast-paced and engaging read, alternatingly character vignettes, beautiful language, and the highly sympathetic characters. I consider myself fortunate that I've now read this book twice for two different book group meetings over the past five months.

This book has been on my TBR list for quite some time, but I never seemed to get around to reading it. Fortunately, it was selected as a book group read and I was forced to make time to read it. I finished this book a few days ago and I'm still trying to decide if I really liked it or not. I found the writing to be beautiful and the situation between Peter and Beatrice to be sad beyond words. I felt as if the idea of proselytizing amongst a group of aliens was akin to the notions of colonial missionaries and current missionaries attempting to "civilize" by conversion. I did have issues with the overtly religious tone of the book, but that's a personal bias. Even though I'm still wavering on the decision of whether or not I liked this book, I'm glad I read it.

Ms. Ng has spotlighted so many issues in this amazing story, but at the heart of it all is family dysfunctionality due to lack of communication. The husband doesn't talk to or confide in his wife. The wife doesn't talk to or confide in her husband. The parents don't talk to their children and the children have learned, by example, not to talk to their parents. Needless to say, this results in tragedy and chaos for the family as a whole. I thought this was a hauntingly beautiful story of being a family, being an outsider, living up to other's people's goals and more. Be warned, this is probably going to be a love it or hate it read for most groups, but there's tons to discuss.

THE ROSIE PROJECT is a fun-filled, delightful and fast-paced read that incorporates a bit of self-awareness, romance, family drama, and more.

The vast majority of the members in my book group felt that the title and summary set them up for a story about Alcatraz and they were disappointed. If you skip the prologue and head straight into the story it isn't as disappointing a read. The only other issue I had with the story is that the ending seemed a bit too contrived. The ending didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of this story, but it did strike me as a bit forced.

I loved the tongue-in-cheek humor Ms. Semple used to poke at political correctness. The characters might be overly exaggerated, but it was easy to identify with the helicopter mother, over-achieving assistant, workaholic father, gifted daughter, etc. I found parts of the story to be laugh-out-loud funny. Perhaps not to everyone's taste, but I found this to be a fast-paced and enjoyable read even after the third reading.

The story of Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells is one that I feel everyone should read. The medical and human ethics involved in the use and sales of this woman's cells is mind-boggling. The struggle for the Lacks family to find out what was done to their mother and her cells was incredibly sad, but Ms. Skloot has done a remarkable job in providing this family with answers to their questions as well as to the general public. Whether you're a science lover or not, this is a fascinating story about the growth of medical research and how one poor Black woman's cells became the backbone of this industry.

Don't read this if you're looking for a traditional mystery or whodunit read. Do read this if you're looking for a simple Southern pseudo-gothic read. I found this to be equals parts coming-of-age and relationship exploration. This is a story that highlights the notion of "innocent until proven guilty" and leaving with the stigma of being accused of a crime. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, even though others in my group found it a bit slow, wordy, and a difficult read. This may not be the book for every book group, but it provides a lot of subjects to discuss.

Some readers may find this a difficult read, but I found the language hauntingly beautiful. The author's portrayal of race, identity, and more relevant in today's society.

Eowyn Ivey has this amazing ability to weave a story, blending fact, folklore, and more into one intriguing and spellbinding read. I found TO THE BRIGHT EDGE OF THE WORLD to be a fast-paced and engrossing read and enjoyed the juxtaposition of the historical journal entries and letters with the contemporary letters.

Sharyn McCrumb takes one of the strangest legal cases in US history (the only case where a "ghost" was allowed to testify") along with West Virginia folklore and history and presents a hauntingly beautiful fictionalized story of the main figures in the story. I'm not just saying this because I'm a native West Virginian, but this has become one of my favorite reads and am hopeful that another one of my book groups will read it in the future.

A timely book dealing with body image issues and the psychological and physiological impact caused by eating disorders. Beautifully written on a topic that isn't well understood or often discussed from the perspective of one woman dealing with anorexia nervosa. I can't say that this was a light read nor is it a depressing one but it is a bit dark due to the subject matter and the emotions of the characters. I felt sympathy for Anna while at the same time I wanted to shake her and scream "just eat something" knowing that would do no good. Ms. Zgheib provides insight into the struggle of the anorexic as well as the family members supporting them during their struggle.