Marti's October Picks

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiScalafani

Anton DiScalafani has written a wonderful debut novel! The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls is a story about a young girl and her path to adulthood. Thea and Sam are twins. They all grew up together in an idyllic world in Florida. Georgie is their cousin. Georgie's family is struggling with financial concerns during the depression. However Thea and Sam's family help them. A interesting situation occurred and Thea was sent away to The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls.

The coming of age book brings a story with an understanding of families and family relationships. Thea's growth of herself both physically and mentally is the story. The incidence that started the family's dissolution is slowly revealed as Thea's year at "horse camp" is chronicled. The story is a study in how families can self destruct.

I look forward to reading more of her books.

 

Always On My Mind by Jill Shalvis

Always On My Mind is the best of the Lucky Harbor books so far! I found the characters funny, sweet, emotionally scarred yet tied to each other with so much chemistry and the past.

Leah is back home with her Grandmother helping with her bakery as a baking reality show airs. She can not tell about who wins... Jack is the hot fireman who lived next door all her life. They have always had a thing for each other... AND do they sizzle!

And lets not forget about Kevin - the over sized, eating disordered harlequin great Dane. He is comic relief.

Thank you for another great book. Now I just have to wait until 2014 for the next book...sigh....

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain

I find Diane Chamberlain to be an exceptional writer. Her characters are human with all their foibles. Some of stories have more twists that others with shocking information coming out especially at the end of the stories. Necessary Lies did not have the traditional twists of some of her other reads, but there were twists of other sorts through out the book that make this book wow the reader.

Jane Forrester is a newly hired social worker in North Carolina. She is newly married and very idealistic with a core strength of morals. She is aghast with the poverty in Grace County. Ivy Hart and her family are one of Jane's clients. As Ivy struggles with her family and their poverty as well as her own desires and hopes. Jane struggles with helping them. Idealism and hope are two key elements in the story. As the plot twists and turns, Jane is exposed to more information about the interconnectedness of the families. Ivy, who is only 15 struggles with caring for her family. There are fine lines between the two that could be maintained by necessary lies.

I have to admit, I was stuck for a couple of days it didn't catch my attention. I am not sure why, however after two days I started it again and couldn't read it fast enough. I am glad I gave it another try and didn't just walk away from the book.

Morgan's October Picks

Drizzled with Death by Jessie Crockett

Come meet the author! Jessie Crockett will be at MainStreet BookEnds on Sunday October 13th from 11am to 2pm enjoying the Warner Fall Foliage Festival and signing copies of her new book Drizzled with Death. This fun murder mystery kicks off her new Sugar Grove Mystery Series and takes place in a fictional New Hampshire Town. Sure to please the discerning mystery lover and syrup aficionado alike the book even includes delicious recipes which I haven't tried yet but that I sure intend to when I pick up some delicious local syrup at Festival. Be sure to join us for this fun event and a great festival.

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

I rarely read or recommend two books by the same author back to back but in the case of Jojo Moyes I had to make an exception because her two books were somehow totally different in genre, feeling, language and subject matter and yet both were incredible and worth recommending! The Girl You Left Behind is split between the narratives of two women, one in WWI era occupied France and one in modern day London. The women are united in strange ways both emotionally and in their connection to an incredible painting. I loved both women as they were interesting, very human and strong in their own ways. Both stories are love stories although not in the traditional sense.

The book begins in German Occupied France at an inn staffed by the main character, Sophie and her sister. Both of their husbands are away at war and to keep their livelihood they struggle to keep their inn open and must make peace with serving the German soldiers in their town. This story is heartbreaking as are most WWI stories and pauses about halfway through the book leaving the reader hanging on wanting to understand what has happened to Sophie and her missing husband.

Then the book then picks up with the story of Liv, a young widow in modern day London who is struggling to make ends meet while honoring the legacy of her late husband. Here the reader begins finding crumbs of information about what may have happened to Sophie and we struggle alongside Liv to understand what really happened all those year ago.

This book keeps you engaged and guessing at the conclusion right up until the very end. An amazing piece of historical fiction and contemporary literature I would definitely recommend picking up a copy.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

This classic retelling of the stories of King Arthur is fantastic. It had been on my to read list for awhile and at the urging of some friends I moved it up to the top. I'm so glad I did. It is an enjoyable book as all of the stories we know and love about King Arthur come to life through the eyes of all of the women we often don't hear much from in other versions. The characters are I think the best part of this book because they seem completely real. They are flawed but endearing and each undergoes an important transformation. I was also struck by the feminist undertones of the book as it is impressive to accomplish writing strong, believable female characters who lived during this time period. A must read.