Winter Garden
by Kristen Hannah

Meredith and Nina Whitson are sisters who are very different from each other, but share a conflicted relationship with their mother, who has always been cold and distant. As the story unfolds, the sisters learn about their mother's past and gain a better understanding of themselves and their relationships. The Siege of Leningrad is a key part of this story. The author's portrayal of this time was both shocking and fascinating to me. I highly recommend this book!

Love Anthony
by Lisa Genova

Olivia Donatelli has moved to her cottage on Nantucket in an effort to come to terms with the life and death of her son, Anthony, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Through Anthony, Genova gives the reader insight and information about autism and its effects on families. Love Anthony is a story of loss and recovery. It is also a story about friendship and support among women—and book clubs! Having read Still Alice and Left Neglected, also by Genova, I was looking forward to reading Love Anthony. I was not disappointed.

The Lighthouse Road
by Peter Geye

The setting of the book is along Lake Superior, near the Gunflint in a logging camp. Geye's characters are many layered and, though immigrants from Norway, their experiences are far from those of my Norwegian ancestors. Geye's character's reaction to life circumstance intrigued and puzzled me, and even at the conclusion I was left wondering. This would be a great selection for a book club interested in sharing reflections on the characters.

Editor’s note: Geye will be at signing at Sister Wolf during the Taste of Dorset, August 4.

Saturday Night Widows:
The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives
by Becky Aikman

This is a book about walking through grief and coming out on the other side. The six women were all at various stages in their lives with one commonality; each had recently experienced the death of her husband. Aikman combines current research about grief with the personal stories of these woman and the bonds they formed as they tried to support one another through their loss. This was not a light read, nor a discouraging one. It would be a helpful book to any woman experiencing grief of any kind, offering a new way of thinking about and dealing with loss and recovery.

Cleo: The Cat who Mended a Family
by Helen Brown

This is a beautiful memoir about a persnickety cat which helped to heal a broken family after a devastating tragedy. It’s a must read for cat lovers and those who have suffered a loss.

When Christians Get it Wrong
by Adam Hamilton

The author is a pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the U.S. In this book he interviews young people and responds to what they feel are the 5 biggest obstacles to being a part of "church".

Lighthouse Road
by Peter Geye

Geye's book Safe From the Sea was a big hit with our book clubs last year, and his new book is just as intriguing. The story is again set near Lake Superior, but also goes inland to logging camps and includes new immigrants, whiskey running and love.

Tender Is the Night
by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The book opens on the Riviera, with the most beautiful of people, charming and bright, and based in part on Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. We soon get a glimpse of the weaknesses under the surface, and we watch the gradual crumbling of their perfect world. Fitzgerald said that this is his masterpiece. I agree. Both the writing and the insights are stunning.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
by Therese Anne Fowler

What a contrast to the picture painted in Tender Is the Night and A Movable Feast! This is a novel and Fowler doesn’t claim that the story is accurate, but it’s well researched and the men’s books are decidedly distorted. It’s fun to imagine the time when Gatsby was born, and to read a scathing description of Hemingway and Hadley.

Death Comes to Pemberley
by P.D. James

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen didn't leave us with enough novels. Mystery writer P.D. James brings us Elizabeth and Darcy six years into their marriage, but with a murder and a trial and clues. It's a mash-up that satisfies.

Maisie Dobbs series
by Jacqueline Winspear

When I need to go to another place and time, I turn to the Maisie Dobbs series. Maisie is a psychologist and detective, and the series includes Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth, and An Incomplete Revenge. The books all are rich in history, emotion, and character. They speak with intelligence and thought about the fullness of grief, happiness, change, and self-discovery.

Deception Point
by Dan Brown

Mariah just finished a challenging semester, and is glad to be able to read for pleasure. She’s just started Deception Point and says “it’s a wonderful book for those that love realistic fiction, adventure, and mystery. The story is very captivating and keeps me wondering what will happen next!"