Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

The fourth in the Big Stone Gap series, this book continues following the lives of Ave Maria and her friends and family in a small mountain town in Tenessee. A heartwarming family drama. Start with the first in the series, Big Stone Gap, and you’ll be hooked.

-Diane M

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

Loved the book. I’ve decided to read this whole series, and this book certainly didn’t disappoint.

-Carolyn

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie

My third reading of this book in about 10-12 years and fascinating as always. I particularly like the irony of the final revelation of the important clues in the last chapter. I particularly liked the easy relationship of the young sleuths.

-Gwen

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

Plum delicious! Reading a Stephanie Plum novel is the perfect mini vacation getaway.

-Diane

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Set in India, mostly in the 1960s, this first fictional novel by Arundhati Roy invites the reader into a dramatic and well-crafted plot about a family’s tragedy and all the events and characters surrounding it. The style of writing jumps from the viewpoint of a child, a twin, to the recollections and insights of an adult, and it can take a while for the reader to get accustomed to the erratic narrating. But the details of plot reveal themselves along the way and I was enraptured by the detailed descriptions of characters and setting and especially enjoyed experiencing the story unfold through the eyes, ears and sometimes nose of a child. Reading the book was a welcome departure from everyday adult life, although the themes explored throughout the book were decidedly grown-up: politics, death, religion, sexism, class, passion. While unique, memorable language and the wonderment of children illustrate – the book is essentially about how adult circumstances contribute to the loss of innocence of children. Winner of the 1997 Booker Prize. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again.

-Virginia

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

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I listened to this on audio and it was done so wonderfully I flew through the 19 discs.  If you have not read this now is the time.  It was fabulous.

-Barb

Prisoner of Trebekistan: A Decade in Jeopardy! by Bob Harris

A super book for fans of JEOPARDY!. Bob Harris is a big winner of the past, and a comedian and writer as well. He answers many of the questions that the TV viewer wonders about, such as “do they study?” (duhh) and “how many shows are taped on one day?” (five). I skimmed the parts about Harris’s life, as interesting as it was, and focussed on his tips, techniques, and high emotions about the game.

-Janice

A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry

This is one of my all-time favorites. The setting (mid-1970’s India), the characters (four individuals of different castes and economic levels), the plot (the title refers to the precarious balance of survival), are all complex and absorbing, somewhat like a modern-day Dickens novel. (Fiction Mistry – we keep ours on the Oprah books shelf.)

-Deb

Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

It is amazingly written, the murderer is a surprise completely, and it has the just right amount of drama to keep you hooked.

-Jennifer

A Rare Breed of Love by Jana Kohl

“A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere”

The story of Baby, the three-legged poodle, who was rescued from the horrors of a puppymill before she was to be killed for being too old to produce any more puppies. The author adopted Baby and describes how Baby changed her life–transforming her into an animal rights advocate. The book follows their journey, and includes photographs of Baby with many of the famous people whose lives she has touched.

As someone who has adopted a rescued puppymill survivor, I found this to be a heartbreaking, inspiring book and a powerful call to action.

-Melanie