The Condition: A Novel

By Jennifer Haigh

When the McKotch family gathers at their summer house on Cape Cod for their annual vacation in 1976, they are expecting a fun week at the beach with their extended family. What they don't know is that this is the last time they'll spend together at The Captain's House, and soon their lives will be forever changed. In the very near future, Paulette and Frank's marriage will reach its bitter end, and daughter Gwen will be diagnosed with Turner's syndrome, a rare genetic condition that prevents her body from growing or maturing like a normal person. Gwen's diagnosis and the McKotch's divorce will also have ramifications for Paulette and Frank's two sons, Billy and Scott.
In this novel, author Jennifer Haigh takes the readers through the next twenty years of this dysfunctional family's lives, detailing each one's struggle for love and happiness. Although I think Baker Towers is still her best work, the story of the McKotch family is quite compelling. Haigh's characters are well drawn as usual and while the plot seems to move a bit slowly at times, the ending is satisfying as the main characters come full circle.

The Divorce Party: A Novel

By Laura Dave

Every once in a while, you discover an author who truly speaks to you. Something about the words they choose and the characters they create, move you and captivate you and make you wish the book would never end. If you're very lucky, your favorite new author might be prolific as well as talented, and have written a bunch of books for you to devour. Or she may have written just two novels so far, so you'll have to savor them while you wait for her next one.

I fell in love with Laura Dave's 2006 debut, London is the Best City in America and her latest book, The Divorce Party, is just as good. When you read her simple, eloquent prose, you can't help but stop every few pages to marvel at her finely honed writing skills. Dave possesses an amazing talent for penning dead on descriptions, unpredictable plot twists, multifaceted, extremely likeable characters, and beautiful, realistic relationships and romances. The Divorce Party is my favorite book of the year.

Dave's latest novel is set in Montauk, a beautiful coastal town. Located on the farthest end of the Hamptons and Long Island, it feels like the end of the world. While Montauk has been a popular tourist destination for many years, the town is also inhabited by some locals who reside there year round. This weekend, one of Montauk's oldest and wealthiest families is throwing a divorce party, the polar opposite of a wedding. Gwynn and Thomas Huntington shared the ideal marriage for thirty-five great years, but will end their relationship by throwing a beautiful party to celebrate with family and friends.

If you're assuming that The Divorce Party is another one of those fluffy, predictable novels about the glitter and glitz of a summer in the Hamptons, you couldn't be more wrong. It is a book about relationships, how they end and how they begin. It about secrets, keeping them, revealing them and forgiving them. But it's mostly a love story, two love stories, actually. It is Thomas and Gwynn's love story, as well as their son Nate and his fiance Maggie's love story. Nate and Maggie are about to open their own restaurant in Brooklyn as they prepare to attend the Huntington divorce party. Maggie is nervous because she's never met her future in-laws face to face. Then Nate reveals that he hasn't been completely honest with her about his parents' financial situation; it turns out that this family has lots and lots of money. And lots of secrets as well, many of which are about to be revealed this weekend in Montauk.
I know I'm gushing now but I simply cannot say enough good things about this amazing book, which also gave me a new appreciation for one of my favorite songs, Van Morrison's Sweet Thing from Astral Weeks. I never really paid close attention to the beautiful lyrics until I read them in the final pages of The Divorce Party. Just another reason to love this smart, stunning novel.

And I will stroll the merry way

And jump the hedges first

And I will drink the clear

Clean water for to quench my thirst

And I shall watch the ferry-boats

And they'll get high

On a bluer ocean

Against tomorrow's sky

And I will never grow so old again

And I will walk and talk

In gardens all wet with rain

Oh sweet thing, sweet thing

My, my, my, my, my sweet thing

And I shall drive my chariot

Down your streets and cry

hey, its me, I'm dynamite

And I don't know why

And you shall take me strongly

In your arms again

And I will not remember

That I even felt the pain.

We shall walk and talk

In gardens all misty and wet with rain

And I will never, never, never

Grow so old again.

Oh sweet thing, sweet thing

My, my, my, my, my sweet thing

And I will raise my hand up

Into the night time sky

And count the stars

That's shining in your eye

Just to dig it all and not to wonder

That's just fineAnd I'll be satisfied

Not to read in between the lines

And I will walk and talk

In gardens all wet with rain

And I will never, ever, ever, ever

Grow so old again.

Oh sweet thing, sweet thing

Sugar-baby with your champagne eyes

And your saint-like smile....

Comfort: A Journey Through Grief

By Ann Hood

In this heartbreaking memoir, Ann Hood writes about the loss of her beloved five year old daughter Grace, who died suddenly after contracting a rare strep virus that attacked her organs. Ann (a novelist), her husband Lorne and their son Sam are completely devastated as family members and friends offer love, support, food and advice. Sentiments like, "Time heals", "She's in a better place"' and "Write this down," do little to comfort the family or heal Hood's utterly broken heart. Grace was a vivacious, loving, creative, intelligent little girl who loved art, the Beatles, her big brother, and anything girly. Desperate for something to ease her pain, Ann seeks solace in knitting, writing, God, her family, and eventually, she slowly begins to recover.

Hood's recent novel, The Knitting Circle, was inspired by her personal experiences dealing with Grace's death, but she states on her website that Comfort was the most difficult thing she's ever written. Her pain is undeniably evident on every page. Years later, Ann and her family finally begin to feel a bit of hope when they adopt a baby girl from China, not to replace the irreplaceable Gracie, but to bring some joy back into their lives.

Comfort is a well written, heartfelt memoir, a loving tribute to little Grace. I especially appreciate Chapter 7, titled "Staying", which recounts Hood's tendency to leave when things get difficult or boring: jobs, homes, friendships, etc. She writes, "...I leave things. Even things I love. Even things I promise never to leave...The thing about marriage is, you're not supposed to leave. You stand up in front of a hundred of your best friends and closest family members and promise them and the person you're marrying that you will stick it out. No matter what." Although many marriages are unable to survive the loss of a child, Ann and her husband grow even closer, forever bonded by their wonderful memories of Grace. I think many people seeking comfort after enduring an unimaginable loss like Ann's, will find reassurance and hope in this remarkable book.

How to be Single: A Novel

By Liz Truccillo

"A human being's desire to mate, to pair up, to be part of a couple, will never change. But the way we go about it, how badly we need it, what we are willing to sacrifice for it, most definitely is... So maybe the question isn't anymore 'Why are you single?' Maybe the question you should be asking yourself is 'How are you single?' "

When I was a little girl many years ago (thirty or so to be exact), I couldn't wait to be a teenager so I could go on dates and have boyfriends. I think I must have watched too much television or too many musicals, because I was in for a very rude awakening. When no one in high school really wanted to date me, I just figured I'd wait until college. But college boys were even less interested in having a girlfriend. And while I must confess to kissing quite a few boys, I'm almost embarrassed to admit that my husband was my first serious relationship. We didn't meet until I was twenty-four years old and I had to ask HIM out! I guess I finally learned that nothing turns out quite the way you expect.

Julie Jensen is a 38 year old New Yorker, a beautiful single woman with a great career and a posse of loyal girlfriends. But she is sick to death of being asked, "'Why are you single? You seem like an awfully nice person. And very attractive. I just don't understand it.'" Julie doesn't understand it either so she decides to travel around the world to find out how women in other countries deal with being single. She travels to amazing cities, like Paris, Rio, Sydney, Bali, Beijing, Mumbai and Reykjavik, fallling madly in love with a married man along the way. Julie discovers that men and women all over the globe are marrying later, many are divorcing more easily, and finding your soulmate is difficult no matter where you live. Julie's friends are also dealing with being single: Alice is an attorney who quit her job to spend more time dating, Serena is a chef contemplating celibacy, Ruby is depressed and seriously considering artificial insemination, and Georgia just became a single mother of two after her husband deserted her for a much younger woman.

I found How to Be Single to be a very interesting and entertaining book. Each woman's story is compelling and unpredictable, the characters are well written and surprisingly likeable. Author Liz Truccillo was a writer for Sex and the City and it shows in the best possible way; the friendships and romances feel real and believable. Reading this book is almost like watching an episode of the popular series. According to the book jacket, the author traveled all over the world to interview men and women and research this book. As an avid reader of travel magazines, I just loved reading about the different countries. The author's descriptions are so vivid, you almost feel like you're visiting these great places with her. I'd recommend How to Be Single to all women, regardless of marital status, because who couldn't relate to these tales of love and loss? I only wish that I could have read it years ago and saved myself some heartache.

The Book of Dahlia: A Novel

by Elisa Albert

Dahlia Finger is twenty-nine years old and living in Venice Beach, trying to get her life together when she is suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor. This book has received many starred reviews and some good press, and I really wanted to like it. But I found Dahlia's character mostly whiney and self-absorbed. I couldn't get into the "stream of conscious" writing style either.

The Beach House: A Novel

By Jane Green

This is the story of a beautiful, rambling oceanfront estate in Nantucket. Many years ago, Windemere was the pristine home of one of New England's wealthiest families, the perfect setting for fabulous parties and beach vacations. Now, it belongs to one slightly eccentric, lonely old woman, who inherited the home and resides there alone with her memories.

To pay for some badly needed repairs and renovations, Nan decides to turn Windemere into a bed and breakfast. Soon, her home is once again a bustling place, full of laughter, drama and romance. Her lovely new tenants include a recently separated father on the brink of coming out of the closet, a lonely divorcee slowly rediscovering herself after many years as a wife and mother, and her son, a lifelong bachelor seeking refuge from yet another doomed love affair.
I loved this novel's Nantucket setting and its beautiful beach house Windemere. I even kind of liked Nan, a no nonsense woman who shoots from the hip and lives her life without a care as to what anyone else thinks of her. However, the other characters are entirely forgettable; the way that they all coincidentally end up at Windemere and all their problems magically disappear felt a little far fetched for me. If you're in search of a nice, sappy beach read and you don't mind suspending your disbelief, you'll probably enjoy The Beach House, but for me, it was all a little too perfect. I'd still love to visit Nantucket someday though!

LoveHampton: A Novel

By Sherri Rifkin

A modern day Cinderella story set in the Hamptons. Tori Miller’s life fell apart when her boyfriend Peter broke up with her two years ago and ever since then, her life has been all work and no play. Until her best friends stage an “intervention,” by arranging both a TV makeover show and a summer share in the Hamptons to bring some excitement back to her life. Tori reluctantly takes her pals’ advice and finds herself in a strange new world. In addition to a stylish new look and an expensive designer wardrobe, she suddenly has six new housemates, a glamorous social life, and more male attention than she can handle. But Tori’s not quite prepared for all the complications that come with her new life; making new friends, juggling men, avoiding paparazzi, & partying every night make it difficult to keep up with her old friends and build her new company. And while she loves the attention of her charming, handsome, RICH new beau George, she also finds herself attracted to one of her housemates, which is completely against house rules.
This light, breezy novel, which Publishers Weekly called “a dazzling debut,” is perfect reading for the beach or pool. If you’ve ever wondered what it’d be like to spend a summer among the rich and famous, you love Lovehampton, an entertaining and easy read.

The Garden of Last Days: A Novel

by Andre Dubus III

I first learned of this title, a new book from the author of House of Sand and Fog, in a ringing endorsement written by Stephen King for Entertainment Weekly. In his essay called "Buzz Verses Hype", King writes "...this book is so good, so damn compulsively readable, that I can hardly believe it. The brooding cover — palm trees beneath a greenish sky that suggests bad luck, trouble, storms, perhaps total disaster — promises suspense; unlike most such covers, The Garden of Last Days actually delivers." Who could resist such a glowing review?
Not that I neccessarily trust Stephen King's recommendations. He wrote a similar review for a book called The Ruins by Scott Smith; it turned out to be one of the absolute worst books I have ever read. But I enjoyed House and Sand and Fog, so I reluctantly decided to give Mr. King a chance to redeem himself.
The Garden of Last Days is set in Florida during early September 2001. A single mother named April is forced to bring her three year old daughter to work after her babysitter/landlady Jean is sent to the hospital with chest pains. The problem is that April works as a dancer at a strip club, which is obviously no place for a child. While April is dancing in a private room for a foreigner with money to burn, little Franny quietly slips out of the club in search of her mother, only to be snatched by an unstable client.
There are over 500 pages in this book and many of them are about stripping. Dubus creates an interesting character in April, a smart girl determined to create a happy home for her daughter and survive the hard, lonely life she's living right now. Too bad most of the other characters aren't as interesting. I wish the story had focused more on April and was about a hundred pages shorter. This is an interesting story at times, but House of Sand and Fog is better.

And Sometimes Why: A Novel

By Rebecca Johnson

To the McMartin family, it seems like an ordinary morning at the breakfast table. Parents Darius and Sophie are quietly observing their daughters’ argument over whose turn it is to take the car that they share. Sixteen year old Helen- popular, pretty, outgoing – wants to go break up with her boyfriend, while eighteen year old Miranda – serious, smart, quiet- must decide whether to attend her college freshmen orientation or shop for new clothes. Finally, Helen agrees to catch a ride with a friend; a seemingly minor decision that will ultimately change their family forever.

While Miranda makes friends with a few fellow classmates, Helen breaks things off with Bobby, her guitar playing, motorcycle riding boyfriend. He takes the break up surprising well, asking only for one more night together for old time’s sake. Helen agrees and they ride off together on his bike. What Helen doesn’t know is that Bobby is actually a 37 year old drug dealer with an alias and an alcohol problem; this ride will be her last.

Rebecca Johnson has created an interesting premise here and the characters of the McMartin family are well drawn. For me, problems arise when other characters, like a good looking game show host and a lonely filmmaker, take center stage. Although the characters are connected, their relationships sometimes feel tenuous and only distracted me from Helen’s story. If the author had focused more on the McMartins, I think it would be a more satisfying book. Still, And Sometimes Why is an engrossing look at one family’s tragedy and how it affects the lives of other people as well.

What Now?

by Ann Patchett

I've been a big fan of Ann Patchett's work since I read The Patron Saint of Liars a few years back and it remains one of my all time favorite books. I always find her writing eloquent, affecting and entertaining. What Now? is based on a commencement speech she recently gave at Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater. She writes, "If all fairy tales begin 'Once upon a time,' then all graduation speeches begin 'When I was sitting where you are now.'" In reading What Now?, its hard not to get nostalgic for your own commencements and that wonderful feeling that anything is possible.
For the author, answering the question "What now?" was often a struggle, as she tried to figure out her next steps following high school, college, grad school, and various jobs on the way to becoming a successful writer (including a position waiting tables at TGI Fridays where yours truly also worked for about a month after my own college graduation. It was one of the three worst jobs I ever had.) What Patchett tries to impart to her audience (or readers) is that the question What now doesn't have to be stress inducing, but instead a way to open yourself up to the world of possiblities and make all your dreams come true. She writes, "What now is not just a panic stricken question tossed out into a dark unknown. What now can also be our joy. It is a declaration of possibility, of promise, of chance. There is a time in our lives when we all crave the answers. It seems terrifying not to know what's coming next. But there is another time, a better time, when we see our lives as a series of choices, and what now represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life...If you're trying to find out what's coming next, turn off everything you own that has an OFF switch and listen...Identify your heart's truest desire and don't change that for anything." What Now? is an inspirational read for anyone at a crossroads in life and a great gift for recent graduates.

Standing Still: A Novel

by Kelly Simmons

This is a story about a former journalist, Claire Cooper, now a wife and mother living in a beautiful new home in the suburbs with her husband and three young daughters. It's immediately apparent that Claire has some anxiety issues and maritial problems with her workoholic, often absent husband, Sam.

One dark and stormy night while Claire is home alone, a man breaks into their home thru a skylight, and attempts to kidnap her oldest daughter. Somehow, Claire convinces him to take her instead. It is eventually revealed that this kidnapping is not a random act, but payback for her husband's involvement in illegal and immoral activities at work. Luckily for Claire, she happens to have a kidnapper with a heart of gold, who promises that she won't be harmed as long as Sam pays the steep ransom. As the story progresses, many secrets about Claire's past and her marriage are revealed as we wait for Sam's response to the ransom demand.

Before I review this book, I have to first admit that I'm not a huge fan of mystery/suspense novels. (I just can't seem to resist skipping to the back of the book to sneak a peak at how the book will end.) I picked Standing Still because the starred review in Publisher's Weekly called it an "electrifying debut" and the inside flap mentioned that it would appeal to fans of Sue Miller, one of my favorite writers. While I found this book suspenseful and somewhat entertaining, I don't really see any similarities to Ms. Miller's work at all. I found it kind of unbelieveable that Claire's kidnapper would be such a nice, reasonable person and I felt the character of Sam was a bit underdeveloped. While this book wasn't really my cup of tea, I would recommend it to fans of the suspense genre in search of a quick, easy read.

Falling Into Manholes: The Memoir of a Bad/Good Girl

by Wendy Merrill

In the introduction to this book, author Wendy Merrill states, "...this menmoir seeks to provide what we all need more of: a good laugh, an easy read, and hope." Unfortunately, what I mostly got out of this book was a very bad headache. While I can sympathize with a person who suffers from anorexia, bulimia, drug addiction, sex addiction, love addiction, alcoholism AND low self esteem, Wendy's story is just exhausting. Reading her book is like hanging out with a really annoying, completely self absorbed friend who never shuts up.

The worst part is the way she seems to think that all her complaining is witty and funny and fascinating. This cleverness is the book's biggest turn off for me; after one or two chapters, it's just too much. The worst offenses:

• the frequent use of made up words like "men-o-pause", "manorexia", "memento", "co-demendency" - you get the idea!
  


• the conversations between "big Wendy" vs. "little Wendy"
  


• repeatedly referring to her status as firstborn child as the "experimental model", including the bizarre "Case Study" baby announcement written by her intellectual parents.
  

And the men the author falls head over heels for?!! I've gone for the wrong guy myself a few times, but it's almost unbelievable that one woman could have so many disastrous relationships. And yet, just when you think you've hit rock bottom and you're ready to toss Falling Into Manholes into your trash bin, there's a genuinely moving chapter about Wendy's mother's death and some thoughtful observations about the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

If you are brave enough to pick up this book, I'd recommend skipping over all the "poor me" b.s., going right to the back of the book and the author's long, long, LONG awaited realization that before she can expect someone else to love her, she has to love herself.

Love the One You're With: A Novel

By Emily Giffin

Emily Giffin has been one of my favorite chick lit writers ever since the debut of Something Borrowed in 2004. Her books always have a good heroine, a juicy plot and a touch of romance. I’m not saying she’s our next literary great, but if you’re looking for something fun to read for summer, her novels rarely disappoint. (Plus, something about the pretty pastel cover art is just irresistible!)

Giffin’s latest book is centered on Ellen Dempsey, a happily married photographer from Pittsburgh living in Manhattan. Newlywed Ellen has the perfect marriage, until she suddenly reconnects with a man from her past. Leo is the one who got away, but now he realizes his mistake and he wants her back. Luckily for Ellen, Andy is the ideal husband and she is able to resist Leo’s charms at first. But eventually a romantic plane ride and a lonely new life in Atlanta begin to change her mind.

Readers will root for Ellen and Andy to work things out despite the undeniable appeal of passionate, handsome Leo, who seems to appreciate Ellen in ways that Andy no longer does. As the book nears its final pages, the suspense builds as Ellen’s future becomes more and more uncertain, but the ending is ultimately satisfying and, most importantly, happy.

House Rules: A Memoir

By Rachel Sontag

This is the true story of the author’s experiences growing up in an extremely dysfunctional family. Although Rachel, her sister and her parents appeared picture perfect to friends and family members, this illusion could not have been further from the truth. Rachel’s father, a respected physician, was a very sick person, obsessed with controlling and tormenting his family to the point of emotional abuse. Twelve year old Rachel is his usual target, forced to obey a list of written rules posted in the kitchen, and endure painful, insulting nightly interrogation sessions. Although Rachel’s mother makes a couple of halfhearted attempts to divorce her husband, she is ultimately unable to end her marriage despite its emotional toll on her children.
I’d recommend this book to readers of Jeanette Wall’s The Glass Castle, another story of abuse.

The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted And Other Small Acts of Liberation

By Elizabeth Berg

I’m not a huge fan of short story collections. For me, they can be annoying because as soon as I get caught up in characters and a plot, the story is suddenly over. In other words, to me short stories usually feel too, well, short.

When I picked up this latest offering from Elizabeth Berg, an irresistible sentence on the back of the book caught my eye: “What would you do, if nobody was looking?” In each of the stories in this collection, people do something unexpected or unconventional. A woman on Weight Watchers takes a vacation from her diet and for one day, she indulges all of her cravings, beginning with an entire box of Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and ending with a mouth watering steak dinner. In another, a lonely older woman treats herself to a wonderful shopping spree followed by a trip to Vegas.
I wanted to like these stories and I usually enjoy Elizabeth Berg’s writing (What We Keep, Open House, Until the Real Thing Comes Along), but I didn’t think this collection of everyday tales was up to par compared to her previous work. While I appreciated how the stories were uplifting in some way, I found most of them a little bit boring.

Split: A Memoir of Divorce

By Suzanne Finnamore

We do not see things as they are.
We see things as we are.
-Anais Nin

Having found Finnamore’s first novel, Otherwise Engaged, enjoyable and her second one, The Zygote Chronicles, kind of mediocre, I wasn’t sure to what to expect with her latest effort, a memoir about her painful divorce from “N”, her husband of five years.
For Suzanne, the split did not come as a complete surprise; there’d been a few tell tale signs that she’d tried to ignore – strange song lyrics on a cocktail napkin, mysterious phone calls, time away from home or the office that N refused to account for, etc. Nevertheless, her husband’s decision to desert Suzanne and their young son (for another woman and the sake of his own happiness) is so completely devastating that she remains in complete denial for months, continuing to have sex with her ex while clinging to the hope of a reconciliation that never happens.
It’s hard not to sympathize with Finnamore after reading this book. I found her husband extremely hateful and his actions completely unforgiveable. When she questions his whereabouts or catches him in a lie, he heinously claims she needs psychiatric care and recommends antidepressants. The way he wallows in self pity for the painful situation he created, waffling back and forth between women is reprehensible. Like many of Suzanne’s friends and family members, I say good riddance! I’d always imagined that after divorce, the relationship was just finished/done/kaput, but now it seems like it simply morphs from love into hatred (or indifference at best), especially if there are children involved.
Many reviewers praised Split and it is very well written, with many insightful, intelligent observations and an ending that has just the right amount of hope (ie. enough to feel slightly optimistic but not even close to happy.) However, for me Split was mostly bitter, surreal and very sad to read. Recommended for people recovering from a painful divorce or a bad breakup (as long as they aren’t too depressed already.)

Names My Sisters Call Me: A Novel

By Megan Crane

This is the story of the Cassel sisters: serious, dependable Norah, beautiful, flighty Raine and cute little Courtney. Just weeks before Courtney’s birth, their father abandoned the family for a new life out west (only to die suddenly weeks later.) While their mother mentally “checked out” for a while to mourn the loss of her husband, the sisters dealt with their loss the best they could.

Fast forward twenty-eight years later: Norah is bossier than ever, Raine has fled to San Francisco to find herself, and little Courtney is newly engaged. Courtney and Norah haven’t spoken to Raine in six years, after she singlehandedly ruined Norah’s wedding and ran off to San Francisco with Courtney’s first love, Matt Cheney.
Courtney desperately wants her family reunited for her upcoming wedding, so she decides to reach out to Raine with a surprise visit to California. But Courtney is the one surprised to discover that nothing has changed in all these years: Norah and Raine still can't get along and her feelings for Matt Cheney seem as strong as the day he left her.

If you thought your family was complicated, you will probably appreciate Names My Sisters Call Me, a light read that won’t make you think too much, perfect for a lazy day at the beach. Crane seems to understand the ever changing dynamics of family relationships, as well as both the joys and frustrations of having sisters. Her portrayal of the way their father’s absence emotionally scars the sisters, leaving a gaping hole in their family forever is realistic and powerful. An interesting, occasionally moving story about families.

Belong to Me: A Novel

By Marisa de los Santos

Having enjoyed Marisa de los Santos’ last novel Love Walked In, I was truly looking forward to Belong to Me. Ms. de los Santos’ books are just a pleasure to read, with her beautiful writing style, true to life characters and unpredictable plot twists. Her work definitely rises above most of the mediocre chick lit published these days and surprisingly, her second book exceeded my admittedly high expectations.
Readers familiar with the characters of Love Walked In will be happy to revisit Cornelia, Teo and Clare, (but you don’t need to have read the previous book to appreciate this one.) Belong to Me begins with tiny, quirky Cornelia recently transplanted from city life and adjusting to the world of suburbia. She and her amazingly attractive husband Teo are also trying to conceive their first child after a recent miscarriage.
Cornelia finds her polar opposite when she meets her neighbor Piper, a beautiful blonde housewife obsessed with her gorgeous home and perfect children. Cornelia finds Piper judgemental, shallow and self centered, but has better luck finding friendship with a local waitress named Lake, who recently moved to town with her teenage son Dev.
As these characters interact, Marisa de los Santos slowly reveals their pasts and personalities, somehow making each person likeable and sympathetic by the end of the book, which is no easy feat. We watch Piper endure the death of her best friend and the end of her idyllic marriage. We see Lake struggle with single parenthood and the shocking secret she’s hidden for years, while her son adjusts to a new school and falls in love for the first time.
My only minor criticism of this great book concerns Teo. He is just too perfect – he has the perfect job (doctor, of course!), a down to earth and extremely likeable personality, he is not just handsome but amazing looking. My initial reaction was that this guy is completely unbelievable. Men like this simply do not exist. But then I reconsidered. Who is to say someone like Teo doesn’t exist? And what’s so terrible about wanting to believe that men like Teo are possible? Don’t we all want to believe in fairy tales just a little bit?
Regardless of Teo, Belong to Me is a wonderful story about soul mates, about finding a love so powerful that it changes you forever and keeping that love alive no matter what life throws your way. A love story beautifully written by a talented writer. I’m already looking forward to Marisa de los Santos’ next book!

Turning Tables: A Novel

by Heather and Rose MacDowell

In this “chick lit meets haute cuisine” novel, twenty-eight year old Erin Edwards stumbles into waitressing while waiting for her dream job in marketing. Although Erin has spent some time eating in restaurants, she’s never worked in one, especially a place like Roulette, one of the best (and most expensive) eateries in Manhattan, complete with one ambitious celebrity chef and two miserable managers. Erin endures all sorts of embarrassment and humiliation at her new job while the kitchen workers place bets that she won’t last a week. Luckily, an experienced co-worker takes pity on Erin and shows her the ropes of food service. Although she eventually gets the hang of it, she has a hard time adjusting to this high stress environment where rich customers are allowed to treat you like a slave for a (usually) measly tip.
As a former waitress, I was really looking forward to this book, which Publishers Weekly called “whip smart” in a starred review. I also sympathized with Erin’s situation because I too stumbled into waitressing with zero previous experience. (Of course, I learned the ropes at a low end, diner type place named the Char Pit where our best seller was the $9.99 prime rib special instead of a hip, expensive restaurant like Roulette.) While I enjoyed most of the MacDowell’s story, especially the staff camaraderie and Erin’s romance with a cute customer, some efforts to be humorous felt slightly forced to me. So while I can’t give this novel a rave review, it was a good, authentic look at restaurants and waiters and for the most part, a fun book to read.

Beauty Confidential: The No Preaching, No Lies, Advice-You’ll-Actually-Use Guide to Looking Your Best

By Nadine Haobsh

I’ve always been what I call “beauty product challenged.” My skin is ultra sensitive and I never know what cosmetics are good for me or how to apply them correctly. Usually I end up either looking like a clown or like I have no makeup on at all. So, this book sounded perfect for me. Haobsh is a beauty expert and answers all your questions about must have products, and also offers insider tips to clueless women like myself, on everything from finding the ideal mascara to creating the perfect ponytail.

Products recommended by Nadine include many tried and true, timeless favorites, and she usually includes different price ranges so even if you can’t spend a fortune, you can try some of her suggestions without blowing your bank account.

Some of Nadine’s favorites include:
NARS blush in Orgasm
Terax Original Crema
Essie Mademoiselle nail polish
Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1
Lancome Definicils mascara
Clinique Black Honey lip gloss
NARS eye shadow in Nepal or Bobbi Brown in Bone

She also advises splurging on eye shadow, concealer, and conditioner, and saving on fragrance, cleanser, nail polish (Rimmel, Sally Hansen, Revlon), and moisturizer (Olay Regenerist). She lists the best conditioners (like Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeep) and many other recommended, easily procured drugstore products, including L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Concealer, L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara, Clean and Clear Persegel, Olay Total Effects Anti Wrinkle/Anti Blemish, and Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm.

One small suggestion for improvement would be a few color photos to better illustrate the author's instructions on make-up application and a few other tips. For the most part, this is an great little book that's packed with interesting information. If you ever feel overwhelmed by all your choices in beauty products or wish you had your own personal beauty consultant, this book is for you.

Certain Girls: A Novel

by Jennifer Weiner

Although I liked In Her Shoes, I've never been a huge Jennifer Weiner fan. Her latest book is a sequel to an earlier novel, Good in Bed. The narration alternates between Cannie Shapiro, a pleasantly plump, happily married writer in her early 40s and Cannie's daughter, Joy, a thirteen year old girl about to celebrate her bat mitzvah.
While the inside flap assures me that readers "fell in love with Cannie Shapiro", in this sequel, it's difficult to see why. Cannie has turned into the most overbearing mother on the planet. You almost feel sorry for poor Joy, but she is equally unlikeable and portrayed as a self absorbed, hateful, spoiled teenager. The main premise is that just as Joy turns into a teenager, she discovers a novel that her mother wrote years ago and assumes that this work of fiction is true, when in reality, the truth has been greatly embellished. However, instead of asking Cannie about her past, Joy prefers to quietly store up all her resentment and treat her mother like dirt for most of the book. Joy is also dealing with typical teen issues like boys and popularity while Cannie's problems include her writing career, parenting her ungrateful daughter and possibly having another child with perfect husband Peter.
I suppose I would have liked this book more if one character felt real or likeable to me. In my mind, I couldn't stop imagining Cannie as a heavier version of horrible housewife Ramona from Bravo's Real Housewives of NYC. It also felt like nothing really happened for most of this book, which weighs in at just under 400 pages, many of which were spent catching readers up on the plot of Good In Bed. This novel has many fans and some good reviews, but to me it was pretty disappointing.

Her Last Death: A Memoir

By Susanna Sonnenberg

Sometimes when I’m in a wealthy neighborhood surrounded by beautiful homes or walking down one of those nice Manhattan streets lined with expensive brownstones, I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to be to live like that, to be that rich.

Susanna Sonnenberg grew up in a family with money and her childhood was far from perfect. Although she and her family dined in the best restaurants and often vacationed in places like Barbados, the Cape, Morocco, Greece, and Italy, her life was a complete mess. Her father was cold and distant, and suffered from MS. Daphne, her mother, while beautiful and charming, was also a drug addict, sex addict and worst of all, a compulsive liar. Although she experiments with drugs, they don’t have the same allure for Susannah as they had for Daphne. She does discover the power of sex and seduction at a young age, and in this way, inevitably turns into her mother, the person she despises most.

Eventually though, Susannah realizes that this is not the life she wants for herself and seeks redemption with a new life, and a "normal" relationship with a kind man in a small Montana town, as far away from her mother as she can get. When she gets a call that her mother is in very serious condition after a horrible car accident, Susannah’s initial reaction is not grief or shock, but one of complete disbelief. This is not the first time her mother has used a fake tragedy to manipulate her. What kind of daughter refuses to go to her mother's bedside in her time of need? Susannah struggles with this decision, ultimately choosing to remain in Montana with her family and let her sister deal with Daphne. It's not a choice that she's proud of, but most readers will understand.

I found this memoir shocking and disturbing. Filled with tales of drug use and sex, at times it felt inconceivable that to me that people actually live this way. However, Susannah’s journey from her mother’s daughter into a person she can be proud of is both compelling and hopeful.

Pretty Is What Changes: Impossible Choices, the Breast Cancer Gene, and How I Defied My Destiny

By Jessica Queller

“If genes can map our fates and their dark knowledge is offered to us, will we willingly trade innocence for the information that could save our lives?”

In this powerful memoir, the author describes her mother’s painful battle with ovarian cancer and her own struggle to accept that she has inherited the breast cancer gene. Jessica Queller was a beautiful 34 year old television writer living a glamorous life in LA and Manhattan when she endured the loss of her mother, and months later learned that she would likely face her own fight against cancer someday, with an 87% chance of developing breast cancer and a 44% chance for ovarian cancer.

Women like Jessica who test positive for the BRCA gene mutation must make an agonizing decision: frequent surveillance to check for cancer while living in a state of constant fear or a preventative double mastectomy and oophorectomy to reduce the risk. Queller writes, “Hard decision? Deciding whether to go to law school or take one’s chances as a writer is a hard decision. Deciding whether to have amniocentesis when you’re your pregnant is a hard decision. Deciding to cut off your breasts when you don’t have cancer and possibly never will? To me, that was insanity. At the same time, passively waiting for cancer to strike, relying on inexact surveillance machines, hoping to catch it before it spread – that didn’t sound reasonable either.”

Once she recovers from the initial shock of testing positive, and after many grueling and emotional months filled with research and soul searching, Jessica shocks her friends and family members by opting for the mastectomy, a decision she never regrets for one moment. While the surgery and reconstruction are both painful and difficult, she realizes that her double mastactomy is not the end of the world, but a cancer diagnosis might have been.

Queller is witty, smart and utterly relatable. Her book is completely absorbing; I couldn’t put it down. She somehow manages to take the most tragic circumstances and transform them into a story of amazing courage. I found her strength heroic and inspirational, and I’m so grateful that she chose to share her very personal story with millions of readers, like myself. This book completely changed my opinion about what I would do in Jessica’s shoes. Before reading Pretty Is What Changes, I was completely against taking the BRCA test and a preventative double mastectomy seemed like an extremely rash decision. It is an extremely personal choice and maybe I can't know for certain how I would feel unless it happened to me, but at least now I understand that this knowledge could save my life. Thanks to this book, I don’t feel so afraid of the future anymore and I hope that I would have the grace and courage that Jessica Queller had. She writes, “We are living in an age in which scientific advances give us new opportunities to live. Seize them.”

Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing, and Hope In My Life as an Animal Surgeon

By Dr. Nick Trout

As a big animal lover, I’ve occasionally wondered if a career as a veterinarian would have been a good choice for me. I can hardly think of a more rewarding way to spend my time than surrounded by animals. The enormous feeling of satisfaction from healing sick and injured pets is very appealing to me. Unfortunately, science was never one of my best subjects and vet school is both extremely expensive and highly competitive. So this elementary education major with a concentration in English ended up in library school instead.

Nick Trout is a surgeon at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a veterinarian, you’ll enjoy his book which follows one day in his work there. It’s a well written and absorbing story, and you meet many interesting four legged friends. Dr. Trout is just the person you’d choose to treat your beloved family pet with his calm, intelligent manner, many years of vet experience and kind, understanding demeanor. No matter how stressful the situation, Nick never forgets that his patient is not just an animal or a medical case, it is someone’s beloved companion.

Although Dr. Trout's writing is not overly sentimental, it is clear that he possesses a true understanding of the emotional relationships between people and animals. He writes: “Pets devour the loneliness. They give us purpose, responsibility, a reason for getting up in the morning and a reason to look to the future. They ground us, help us escape the grief, make us laugh, and take full advantage of our weakness by exploiting our furniture, our beds and our refrigerator. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Pets are our seatbelt on the roller coaster of life – they can be trusted, they keep us safe, and they sure do smooth out the ride.”

My favorite patient in the book is Sage, a ten year old German Shepherd admitted to the clinic with a GDV, a condition which occurs when a dog’s stomach somehow twists around and expands within the chest. A GDV is considered an extreme emergency and the dog can die within hours. When Nick meets sweet Sage and his elderly, widowed owner who considers Sage not just his pet but his most faithful friend, he knows he must do everything in his power to save Sage’s life. Recommended for animal lovers.

The Ties That Bind: Two Books About the Power of Sisters

Your sibling is your closest living relative, sharing not only genes, but personal history as well. While the word "sister" has many positive connotations, sometimes relationships between sisters can be also be complicated.

"After all, don't we all fear our sisters to a certain extent- for whatever reason? Fear their harsh words, fear their kind words, fear their beauty, fear their ugliness, fear their age, fear their youth? Fear that we are too much or not enough like them?"
- Josephine Miller, Sisters Project participant (from My Sister, My Self)

Here are two recent books that explore this fascinating topic:




The Sister Knot: Why We Fight, Why We’re Jealous, and Why We’ll Love Each Other No Matter What

By Terri Apter

British psychologist Apter uses interviews with sisters at various ages in both her native country and the US to analyze the sister bond. I was expecting something informative and practical with a few interesting insights, but this was a bit too academic for me. The interviews were kind of dull and Apter’s writing and analysis put me to sleep. This would probably be okay for a psychology term paper, but not great for recreational reading.




My Sister, My Self: Understanding the Sibling Relationship That Shapes Our Lives, Our Loves, and Ourselves

By Vicki Stark

Vicki Stark is a social worker and therapist, with appearances on tv shows like the Today Show and articles in the NYT. She believes that sister relationships play a major role in the development of a woman’s identity, like what career she chooses and what qualities she looks for in a mate.
She called her research The Sister Project and used email questionnaires (included in the book) and interviews to explore sister relationships in both childhood and as adults. There are chapters focusing on oldest, youngest and middle sister roles, as well as one for twin sisters. The interviews feel somewhat tedious to me, but some of Stark’s theories are quite interesting.

Although I don’t agree with all her generalizations, the author’s research reveals some surprising trends and this book did give me some new insight into my own personality, which as the oldest sister seems to be mostly bossy, protective, controlling, responsible, guilty, serious, nurturing, and independent. (Youngest sisters are cute, powerless, protected, dependent, sweet, & affectionate and middle ones are funny, rebellious, wild, sociable, creative, resourceful, practical, & balanced.)

So, if you’ve ever wondered why you are the way you are, you might be able to blame everything on your sisters! Seriously though, this book does offer some interesting ideas about how your familial role and sister relationships impact your life in many unexpected ways.

I think this beautiful quote from the beginning of Stark's book really sums up the relationship between sisters:
"Awake, the girls were always squabbling, their natures at once as fluid as air and as fixed as concrete and above all, eternally opposed to one other. But asleep in their singlets and knickers, beneath a tartan blanket, their small, pale arms overlapping, they seemed to share their dreams and to be content."
-When the World Was Steady by Claire Messud

A Version of the Truth: A Novel

by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack

Nature lover Cassie Shaw is desperate for a decent job. Recently widowed and left virtually penniless by her loser husband Frank, she and her parrot have moved back home with her hippie mother. During her interview for a office position in the psychology department of the local college, Cassie lies about her education to get the job, claiming to have a psych degree from Michigan State. The truth is that she has dyslexia and never finished high school, much less college.

Of course, all of Cassie's lies eventually catch up with her, but not before she has developed close friendships with her fellow staff members and fallen in love with the best looking and most popular professor on campus, Dr. William Conner. For me, the story's low point has to be the demise of the most likeable character in the book: Sam, Cassie's beloved parrot, whose needless death feels like a cheap ploy to advance the plot and make Cassie sympathetic again, leading to the inevitable deliriously happy ending everyone saw coming a mile away.
I had high hopes for this book about an animal lover like myself. However, there is nothing very surprising or interesting about this mediocre "chick lit" novel. Sam, you deserved better; may you rest in peace.

Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave

Edited by Ellen Sussman

I’ve always considered myself a “good girl”. My mother used to tell me, “Amy, stop being such a Pollyanna!” Not that I’ve never done anything bad. The first bad thing that I can remember is at around age five, I told my younger sister that she was adopted. She bit me.
Bad Girls is a collection of essays about being bad. Many of my favorite authors are featured, including Caroline Leavitt, Katharine Weber, Pam Houston and Lolly Winston. Their acts of rebellion range from small transgressions such as lying and skipping school to bigger ones, like experimenting with sex and drugs. Most of the writers seem to remember their bad girl sides fondly, almost like an old friend they’d forgotten. My favorites were the ones about girls who were mostly good people, but occasionally did something wild and daring, because as we all know, bad girls have much more fun. I also enjoyed the essays in which the writer confesses not to committing some huge sin, but to something that that made them "bad" in someone else’s eyes. Joyce Maynard writes, “And what is a bad girl really, but a girl who doesn’t always do the things other people tell her she is supposed to. Sometimes its true, a bad girl may be someone who cheats or steals or hurts people or lies. And sometimes a bad girl is just someone who tells the truth.”

I enjoyed reading the true stories of these women's darkest secrets and sometimes shocking confessions. You realize that bad girls can be single or married, old or young, embarrassed or proud of their transgressions. This book also reminded me that sometimes being bad can be something very simple, like playing music too loud or driving too fast or putting off the housework for one more day. Sometimes being bad can actually be very liberating.

The Monsters of Templeton: A Novel

By Lauren Groff

“The day I returned to Templeton steeped in disgrace, the fifty foot corpse of a monster surfaced in Lake Glimmerglass.”

At first glance, Lauren Groff’s debut may seem like a horror novel, with its mysterious title and cryptic beginning. However, readers who venture deeper will find that it’s really a love story to her hometown: a picturesque, bucolic village that most of us know as Cooperstown, NY (home of the Baseball Hall of Fame), but admittedly renamed Templeton by the author for this novel. Although a strange, enormous sea creature of some kind has been dragged out of the local lake, there are other monsters lurking in Templeton, the town where Willie Upton was born and where she returns at the beginning of the novel.

Some important things to know about twenty-eight year old Willie:
She is fleeing a doomed love affair with her very married archaeology professor after trying to run his wife down with a small plane.
She is carrying the child of previously mentioned archaeology professor.
She is a descendant of the town’s very wealthy founder, Marmaduke Temple and therefore part of one of the town’s most important families, though most of the family money is gone.

Her mother Vi was a hippie living in a commune in San Francisco when Willie was conceived and doesn’t know which of three possible men is Willie’s biological father.

Unsure of her future with her professor, her pregnancy and her status at Stanford, where she has been working on her doctorate, Willie returns to the place she once fled to recuperate, but finds her hometown is not the peaceful town she remembers. Her bohemian mother has found religion and is dating a minister. The discovery of the monster from the lake has drawn throngs of visiting scientists and news media to town, in addition to all the tourists. Willie's best friend and fellow student Clarissa has been diagnosed with lupus and her condition is quickly deteriorating. Then, Vi announces that Willie’s biological father is not a stranger after all, but a resident of Templeton. With Vi refusing to name names, Willie must use a few clues and her research skills to dig deep into the history of her ancestors and the town of Templeton to discover the truth about her past.

Monsters of Templeton is an enthralling book that feels almost like a memoir, with family trees, old photos and even a town map. The author takes us along on Willie’s journey into this charming, idyllic town where secrets and lies hide just beneath the surface. Although some readers will find Willy slightly self absorbed (though I personally like that she has flaws), this is a unique and fascinating story.

The Last Beach Bungalow: A Novel

By Jennie Nash

FOR SALE
The last beach bungalow
The owner of this 1928 original bungalow is seeking a buyer with
heart. What would you give – besides money – to live here? Bring
your offers, your stories, and a promise to preserve and protect.
Winner will pay $300,000.
Open house, Saturday 1 to 4

When April Newton sees the beautiful craftsman style cottage mentioned in this ad, she falls completely in love with it. The first problem is that she is not the only one; hundreds of families are vying for a chance to own this bungalow, with its attractive below market asking price, an enormous stone fireplace with Catalina tiles, and a gorgeous ocean view of Redondo Beach. The second problem is that April’s husband is already working on a dream house that he began remodeling five years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Now, April’s cancer is in remission, maybe gone for good, and their new home is nearing completion. How can she tell him about the bungalow? April and Rick have been drifting apart for some time now, partially because of the stress of the move and remodel, and this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Even if she can persuade Rick to forget the dream house and buy the bungalow instead, how will she convince the owner to choose them over hundreds of other families? Soon, the cozy bungalow begins to represent the kind of life that April dreams about and the dream house is everything she doesn’t want. An interesting story about family, love and choosing not just a house, but a home. The premise is intriguing and the writer uses her own experiences for much of the novel, but the writing is just okay for me.

Books about "A Lady*"

Lately, I’ve been completely obsessed with Jane Austen, particularly with her novels and the story of her life. I think this is mostly because the movie Becoming Jane left me with so many questions about what her life was really like. So, I put my librarian skills to the test and began searching for more information about this very private and facinating woman.

I started with the book the previously mentioned film is based on: Jon Spence’s Becoming Jane Austen: A Life. This was an interesting book with tons of information, including quotes from both Jane’s letters and books written by her family members. Mr. Spence makes many interesting connections between Jane’s real life and the lives of the characters of her books. The tone is a little dry and academic at times though, and I must admit that I found myself skimming some passages.

Next, I picked up a book titled Just Jane: A Novel of Jane Austen’s Life by Nancy Moser. In Just Jane, the author imagines Jane’s life from age 20-40. I liked the first chapter, but the book went downhill quickly and became extremely unbelievable to me and a little boring. I would not recommend this one.

Finally, I stumbled upon a new title, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by S yrie James. In this novel, the author ponders the question, “What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen’s memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair?” Although this book is completely fictional, James’ writing feels much more authentic than Moser’s, and follows a love affair between Jane and a mysterious man who she meets while vacationing in the coastal town of Lyme. At the end of the novel, Syrie admits that no lost diary or attic chest has ever been found, but due to her diligent research and seamless blending of fact and fiction, I almost believed that there was. This was a fun and entertaining book.

The more I learn about Jane Austen, the more impressed I am by both her talent as a writer and her courage in becoming an independent thinker during a time period when women were not supposed to think for themselves. It's too bad that she never lived to see her beloved novels become so successful, popular and highly respected.

(*Note: Jane Austen's first novels were originally published anonymously, "By a Lady".)

The Opposite of Love: A Novel

By Julie Buxbaum

Emily Haxby has a feeling that her boyfriend is going to propose to her. Andrew is a catch – attractive, smart, funny, a doctor- and they truly love each other, so she dumps him immediately. Her friends don’t get it and as one person tells her, “It’s like you get pleasure out of breaking your own heart.”

Beneath the tough exterior of this twenty-nine year old successful Manhattan attorney, lies a very damaged person. Emily knows that eventually Andrew will leave her, so she has to leave him first, no matter how miserable it makes her. But without Andrew in her life, Emily is left with the opposite of love- - emptiness.

The Opposite of Love is the story of how Emily finds the courage to face her deepest fears and take control of her life. Buxbaum’s debut is well written, funny, and insightful, with well drawn characters and a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended.

Becoming Jane: The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen

Edited by Anne Newgarden

More than two centuries ago, Jane Austen, a clergyman’s daughter in Hampshire, England, wrote six major novels, beginning with the classic Pride and Prejudice. Despite the fact that she lived just 41 years and never married or left England, Ms. Austen wrote about the relationships between men and women in a way that still resonates many decades later. Although she didn’t make much money from them at the time, today her novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, adapted into movies, sequels, plays, ballets, (and more!), and have never been out of print.

Almost two hundred years later, Jane Austen is more popular than ever.

In addition to being a huge fan of Austen’s work, I’m also intrigued by the story of her life, which was recently dramatized in the film Becoming Jane (starring a likeable Anne Hathaway and a dapper James McAvoy, pictured on the cover.) In a time when women were not supposed to think for themselves, Jane Austen had the courage to put her thoughts on paper. In a time when women were not supposed to think of money, Jane Austen was earning money, no matter how small the amount, on her own. In a time when most women had to marry for financial reasons instead of love, Jane Austen refused to mindlessly follow the rules of society. She was determined to either marry for love or live by her pen. She was afraid the demands of a traditional family life would deter her dream of becoming a great writer, a dream that would only be fully realized many years after her death.

This slim book is a collection of quotations from her novels and letters. It also contains a bit of biographical information, just enough to give the reader a sense of what Ms. Austen’s life was like, without being scholarly or overwhelming.
The editor seems to have a genuine appreciation for Austen’s work and writes, “Austen’s men and women – ball gowns, bonnets and breeches aside- are not so very different from men and women today. While they face completely different obstacles in their pursuit of marital happiness, Austen’s favorite subject, their feelings and failings, their vices and vulnerabilities provoke in modern-day readers (or viewers, as the case may be) a nod of recognition.”
She calls Austen a “master of human observation,” adding, “And what do we human creatures love more than to hold a mirror up to ourselves? Reveling in the first blush of love or mourning its loss – remembering who we once were or impatient for who we hope to become – we turn to our own reflection for knowledge, for solace, for pity, for hope, or for the sheer pleasure it gives us. It’s no wonder we keep coming back to Jane Austen over and over again.”

Recommended for Austen fans.

The Senator's Wife: A Novel

By Sue Miller

A portrait of two marriages, one just beginning and the other approaching its end. Meri and Nathan have recently married and are moving into one half of a large, two family home in New England. The other side of the house belongs to the much older Delia and her husband, Tom, a former US senator. Ms. Miller offers a look at both marriages, seemingly at opposite points, yet in some ways, strikingly parallel. As Meri gives birth to her first child and confronts the complexities of motherhood, Delia brings debilitated Tom home for the first time in decades to convalesce after a stroke.

I consider myself a big fan of Sue Miller’s writing, especially The Good Mother and While I Was Gone. The Senator's Wife has been the recepient of much critical praise, but the reviews on Amazon.com are somewhat lukewarm. I have to agree with many of the Amazon readers, who felt this novel was well written, but brought nothing really new to the table.

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaining the American Dream

By Barack Obama

I normally find politics completely uninteresting, but as we approached 2008 and people started talking about the upcoming Presidential Election, I really looked forward to voting for Hilary Clinton. I seriously never thought I’d see a viable female presidential candidate in my lifetime, so this was extremely exciting for me. I’d always voted for Bill Clinton, so Hilary would undoubtedly win my vote this year.
Then, I watched a few debates on television, both Democratic and Republican (just for kicks!), and something unexpected began to happen. I actually found the debates interesting! Especially some guy named Barack Obama.

But wait a minute, I hate politics!

Politicians are all a bunch of liars!
I would never donate money to a politician.

What a waste!
And I would never cast a vote against Hilary!

But Senator Obama changed my mind about all of these things. He is inspiring, charismatic and incredibly intelligent. Come to think of it, he is the exact opposite of our current president. The Audacity of Hope is an inside look at Washington that is both smart and interesting. The idea that Mr. Obama could someday lead our country fills this beaten down liberal with hope. I know that he has to beat Hilary in the primaries first, but I would really like to see Obama’s name on the ballot in November. America needs him and you need to read this book!

All this talk about hope reminded me of a beautiful poem written by Emily Dickinson:

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chilliest land

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me

Waiting to Surface

By Emily Listfield

Sarah and Todd once shared the perfect romance. Young and carefree, Todd was a promising artist and Sarah, a talented writer. Ten years of marriage and one daughter later, their relationship is in shambles and divorce seems imminent. Then one day, Todd simply vanishes while visiting an old girlfriend in Florida. Police aren’t sure if he has commit suicide by drowning himself or if he simply walked away from his life. The one thing Sarah knows is that Todd would never desert his daughter, so she suspects foul play. But it turns out that there are many things that Sarah did not know about her husband. A real page turner with interesting characters and exciting plot twists.

Manless in Montclair

How a Happily Married Woman Became a Widow Looking for Love in the Wilds of Suburbia (A Novel)

by Amy Holman Edelman

Isabel is stunned when she returns home from a dentist appointment to find her husband Michael dead from a brain hemorrhage. After a few sad months of grieving, she begins to consider re-entering the world of dating, something she never imagined in her wildest dreams, but her friends are encouraging her and her youngest daughter has requested a new daddy for Hannukah.
Dating is alot different today than it was fifteen years ago with internet services like JDate and match.com, but one thing hasn't changed: how hard it is to meet the right person, especially when you're living in the suburbs of New Jersey. Luckilly, between juggling her new roles as family breadwinner and single mom, Isabel has time to go on tons of dates and hang out with her upstairs neighbor, an unemployed musician/commitmentphobe, whom she refers to as her "friend with benefits".

Frustrated by bad dates with losers and good dates with men who blow her off, Isabel sends an email to her friends offering a free trip anywhere in the world for the person who finds her a husband. Although her desperate email lands her a story on page 3 of the New York Post, Isabel still can't find the right guy, so she reluctantly takes a break from dating, learning to appreciate all the good things in her life and realizing that some things just cannot be rushed. This is a quick, light read but the middle of the book (and Isabel's dating desperation) became tiresome and a bit dull for me. This one was just okay.

On Chesil Beach: A Novel

By Ian McEwan

After being blown away by Atonement, I was eager to read another novel by McEwan. On Chesil Beach has received many positive reviews but ultimately, it just did not quite live up to my high expectations.

McEwan’s writing is beautiful and evocative, and the plot is intriguing. Set in 1962, a young, sexually inexperienced couple marries and endures a stressful, and ultimately disastrous, wedding night. I believed that Edward and Florence truly loved each other, but their pride and anger kept them from working through their sexual incompatibility, leaving them to live the rest of their lives without each other. The final pages are emotional and thought provoking, as McEwan writes, “Love and patience – if only he had had them both at once – would surely have seen them both through… This is how the entire course of a life can be changed – by doing nothing.”

For me, On Chesil Beach is about living a life without regrets and with nothing left unsaid. A powerful lesson about the importance of courage, honesty and tenacity in relationships, this short novel is definitely worth reading.

The Last Chinese Chef: A Novel

By Nicole Mones

Maggie Mason is just beginning to adjust to life as a widow when she gets a startling phone call. It turns out that her husband Matt, recently killed in a car accident, may have fathered a child while visiting China on business several years ago. In complete shock over discovering this part of her husband's life that she never knew about, Maggie immediately makes plans to travel to China to arrange a paternity test. Maggie also has other business to attend to on her trip: her editor at Table magazine has assigned her to interview a new, up and coming chef in Beijing.
Sam Liang is half Chinese, half American but in Beijing, he is considered a foreigner. Food is in his blood and he is determined to take the art of Chinese cuisine to new heights. At first, Maggie is skeptical about many of Sam’s ideas about food and how it can heal people and make them feel happy, but she is soon impressed by his unique talents in the kitchen. Both Maggie and Sam find themselves drawn to each other in a way they never imagined possible, although neither is looking for romance.
This is a beautifully written book about food, love, and healing. Mones writes about China and its cuisine in a way that is so descriptive that you feel like you’re there with Maggie, in this ancient place, tasting this amazing food and believing in the power of love. Sounds corny here but this really is a book to savor, like a great meal.