By Barbara Kingsolver Things have not been going well for the Knox family. Willa, a middle aged journalist, has been let go from her job, right after her husband lost his teaching job. Her gravely ill father in law has been put into their care, their 26 year old daughter has moved back home, […]
by Kathleen Flinn I don’t usually read a lot of non-fiction, especially memoirs and biographies, but this one was recommended to me so I thought I would give it a try. Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good is the story of the author’s childhood, family and the food they shared, the two often inextricably linked. […]
by Lisa Genova Every Note Played is the latest novel from Lisa Genova, neuroscientist turned bestselling author of titles such as Still Alice and Love, Anthony, stories that deal with early onset Alzheimer’s and parental loss and grief. This latest gem goes inside ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, as we follow the decline […]
The Snow ChildBy Eowyn Ivey Jack and Mabel are struggling with their relationship and their inability to have children. Seeking a new start, they travel north to become homesteaders on the Alaskan frontier. 1920’s Alaska can be a brutal place. Jack must manually clear his land for farming. Mabel is expected to keep the home […]
TheBest Kind of People by Zoe Whittall Avalon Hills, a privileged town in Connecticut, is the picture of respectability. Their renowned prep school is a place where young people go to learn, grow, and get accepted into Ivy League colleges. George Woodbury is a highly respected teacher at this school, winning teacher of the year every […]
Moon of the Crusted Snow By Waubgeshig Rice Waubgeshig Rice’s novel Moon of the Crusted Snowopens in the crisp autumn chill of a northern Ontario reserve. Evan Whitesky, a young husband and father, prepares his home for impending winter. Even in these times of modern conveniences, Evan uses his knowledge of hunting to feed his […]
The Best We Could Do Thi Bui Upon becoming a first time mother, Thi Bui reflects on the lives of her Vietnamese parents. In an effort to understand her tense relationship with her parents, the author explores her family’s story and recreates it in this beautiful graphic memoire. During the fall of South Vietnam in […]
The Thirteenth Tale By Diane Setterfield “There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic.” (p. 8) […]
The Summer Before the War By Helen Simonson The Summer Before the War is a slow burning story of the inhabitants of Rye, England at the outbreak of World War I. Despite the threat of war, in typical British style, the inhabitants of Rye keep calm and carry on. Focusing on the everyday lives of […]
Our Homesick Songs By Emma Hooper The Connors live in Big Running, Newfoundland where, for generations, people have lived by the ebb and flow of the cod fishery. The sea is their lifeblood. Emma Hooper masterfully depicts the culture of small town Newfoundland in Our Homesick Songs. Parents Aidan and Martha can remember when fishing […]