This is a great southern novel. The story of "the boy" (Porter Osborne Jr.) is simple, honest, raw, lively, humorous, and at times heart-breaking. Sams uses great word pictures to describe the characters. Our club had a good discussion of themes like unconditional love, coming of age, race and race relations. Recommended reading!

My new favorite by Elizabeth Musser! Beautifully written Christian historical fiction set in 1930s depression-era Atlanta, centering on two teenage girls who form an unlikely bond of friendship. Key themes include survival, provision, faith, redemption and hope. It's emotion-packed and full of historical tidbits, lightened by a bit of romance, and interwoven with mystery and family secrets. A must read!!

Sarah's story is an engrossing read; Julia's story is less so. This novel has a lot of good discussion potential for a group.

King doesn't attempt to re-write Sherlock Holmes in "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" so don't go looking for the world Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created. The story she weaves together is a plausible extension of the character we know and love mixed in with the intelligence and wit of the teenage Mary Russell, and that's why our book club thought it worked. It moves slowly at first and there are a few sections in the middle that drag, but overall it's an engaging and intruiguing read that kept our interest to the exciting finish.