The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

This story of whimsy, friendship and secrets is a perfect read to cozy up to this fall. Set in Walls of Water, North Carolina, the book is based around the seemingly different lives of Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood. Willa was the quiet prankster in high school, who only returned to her hometown following the death of her father and after the demise of her marriage; Paxton, of the prominent Osgood family, is a community leader who still lives with her parents and is spearheading the renovation of an old, decrepit mansion that at one time belonged to Willa's ancestors.

When a skeleton is unearthed under the peach tree on the renovation site, Paxton and Willa unwillingly come together to solve a mystery that involves both of their grandmothers, who, were the best of friends at one time until a change in fortune that saw Willa's grandmother going to work for the Osgoods as a maid. While both grandmothers are still living, Willa's suffers from dementia and Paxton's from sassiness that make it difficult for the women to string together the events that led to the mysterious skeleton.

Sarah Addison Allen writes an enchanting tale that has a little something for everyone - romance, intrigue, humor, history, murder - even ghosts. Small town history and secrets are always a hit with me...and, as always, if you are a sucker for a happy ending, you will enjoy this latest offering from Allen.

Breaking Night by Liz Murray

Author Liz Murray is an amazing individual - emerging from extreme poverty and a situation most would consider hopeless, she has pulled herself up and out of a vicious cycle into a life meaningful not only to her, but to countless others worldwide.

Her story was first told via the Lifetime movie, "Homeless to Harvard," so the reader may already have a general idea of what she has endured in her young life. However, the book takes a much more in-depth look at the numerous issues Liz and her sister Lisa dealt with as children and young adults. The book is stuffed full of just about any dysfunction a person can think of - drug abuse, homelessness, child molestation, etc. - and is very difficult to read much of the time, especially when you consider that you are reading about a child that is going through all of these things.

Ultimately (and obviously) Liz breaks free from the restraints that have been placed upon her, goes back to high school and is accepted into Harvard. The rest, they say, is history. In Liz Murray's case however, it is history in the making. This is an inspirational story of forgivesness, strength, survival and overcoming. Stick with this one, it is worth the while!

Daughters of the Revolution by Carolyn Cooke

This slim novel takes place during a pivotal time in American history for women's rights and equality - the late 1960's through the 1980's. While the novel jumps around quite a bit, it centers on an exclusive yet struggling New England boys-only prep school and its old-school headmaster.

The headmaster, Goddard Byrd, (who likes to be called "God,")has repeatedly stated that females will be admitted to his school over his dead body, something that anticlimactically comes to pass when a clerical error makes way for Carole Faust to enter the school. Rather than attempting to assimilate to the school and its expectations, Carole challenges God and the rules as often as she can. As EV Hellman and her mother struggle following the untimely death of their dad/husband, a Goode School alumnus, they find themselves also uniquely tied to both the school and its headmaster, not to mention Carole Faust.

This book is not only an interesting microcosm of what went on in the larger world during the unrest of the 60's and 70's, it can easily be applied to the economic conditions in our country today. It is a witty, well-written and thought-provoking story, and one that we can all relate to on one level or another.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

With the movie version of this book being released soon, I thought it was time for me to delve into a little chick lit reading to determine how it might stack up with the film.

Something Borrowed follow the basic Chick Lit formula - single, professional woman suffering from relationship troubles. The woman in question, Rachel, is turning 30. Rather than the husband and children she anticipated having by this stage in her life, she remains not only single, but with no contenders on the horizon. This all changes, however, when she and her best friend's fiance take a little detour after her 30th birthday party, ending up in a very compromising position.

While she realizes that Dex is a great guy and one of her very good friends, she does not even consider the possiblity that he might be seriously interested in her - plus, after all, he is engaged to her best friend, the gorgeous Darcy. When she discovers that Dex does have feelings for her, she realizes that she reciprocates those feelings, and they begin a romantic relationship in spite of Dex and Darcy's continued engagement. How will this situation be resolved? Will Dex follow his heart and choose Rachel? Will Darcy discover the illicit relationship? Will Rachel ever find happiness? Anyone who has read any kind of Chick Lit probably knows the answer to those questions, but it's still worth the quick read to find out!

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott

Like so many women of a certain age, one of my favorite books growing up was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Jo March was and always will be a heroine of mine, and Louisa and Jo, in my mind, were one and the same.

Author Kelly O'Connor McNees, also a fan of Little Women and Louisa May Alcott, took the opportunity to do some research and create a fictionalized account of one of Louisa's summers of which little to no documentation survives. We were fortunate enough to have Ms. McNees join us at the Minooka Branch, where she provided a reading from the book, answered questions from the audience and signed copies of her book.

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott takes place during the summer that Alcott's family spent in Walpole, New Hampshire, when Louisa was 22 years old. During the course of the summer, in this fictionalized account of her life, Louisa falls in love. McNees deftly weaves her story in with fact, producing a hopeful yet very human heroine. This is a bittersweet and nostalgic book that I would highly recommend to any fans of Alcott, historical fiction or romance.

Check out the very wonderful and lovely Kelly O'Connor McNees at her website as well:

http://kellyoconnormcnees.com/

The Immmortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Recently recognized as one of the best books of the year by Amazon.com, Oprah, NPR, and the New York Times, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, will take you on a journey that fascinate, infuriate and educate.

Henrietta Lacks tragically lost her life at the hands of an aggressive cervical cancer back in 1951, made even more tragic by the fact that she was the mother to five young children at the time. What no one in her family knew then, or for the next 20 years, is that doctors harvested some of her cancer cells while she was still alive (without her knowledge or consent,) and these cells have been crucial to breakthroughs in medical science ever since - in curing polio, studying how cancer grows, learning how viruses spread, just to name a few applications - Henrietta's cells even went into space.

While Henrietta's cells continued to multiply, her family floundered. Struggling to get by, often ironically lacking basic medical coverage, her family continues to have trust issues with medical facilities and personnel. While Henrietta's cells have generated billions of dollars for some, none of this has gone to her family. Not only is this book an amazing story of human life and incredible science, it also addresses the ethical and moral issues surrounding our bodies and ownership of such.

Author Rebecca Skloot, who spent ten years writing this book and gaining the Lacks' family's trust, does an amazing job of combining the scientific with the personal. This is narrative non-fiction at its best.

Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie

Andie Miller has had 10 years to get over her divorce and her ex-husband, and now that she's getting ready to remarry, she is ready to put the past behind her. While visiting her ex to wrap up some final details, he asks her one last favor - to take over supervision of two orphans in a creepy haunted manor in a remote corner of the world - for which she will be paid enough money to begin her new life debt-free.

When Andie arrives at the home, she is greeted with open hostility by the housekeeper, Mrs. Crumb, and stony indifference by the two children: 12 year-old Carter and 8 year-old Alice. As Andie sets about debunking the ghosts that she keeps hearing about, getting through to the children and getting the house in order, she begins noticing some odd occurrences and strange characters hanging around the house.

The longer Andie spends at the house, the more determined she is to protect and stay with the children, and the more she starts believing in ghosts. Will she be able to protect the children from the malevolent spirits she has seen? Can she convince the children to leave the only home they have known? Will she marry her fiance and live happily ever after?

Jennifer Crusie has penned a spooky and fun story complete with romance, terror, humor and intrigue. Gothic chick lit! While it gets a little messy towards the end with a sudden storm of characters and plot lines, overall, it is still a quick and satisfying easy read.

The Blessings of the Animals by Katrina Kittle

Camden Anderson has a pretty good life. She's a successful veterinarian, her husband owns and runs a popular restaurant, and they have a high-school age daughter who is smart, loving and responsible. Sure, her marriage has its share of rough patches, but whose doesn't? When she returns one day from a particularly nasty humane society rescue, Cami is completely blindsided by the fact her husband has left her.

Shattered by her sudden life change, Cami struggles to come to terms with the reality of her life, finding solidarity and companionship with an abused horse that she is boarding. Her friends, family and menagerie of pets support her and provide her with all kinds of distractions as she slowly begins the healing process. Cami's strength and ability to forge ahead yet still retain her vulnerability make her a very likable and real character.

This is a lovely story of love, friendship, camaraderie and forgiveness. The majority of the book is told from Cami's point of view, with just a few chapters from some of the other characters, which was interesting. I really appreciated the chapter that was from Cami's husband's perspective - it made him much more of a sympathetic character. This was a very engrossing story, with interesting characters and a plot that isn't rushed and doesn't gloss over the mess of relationships. I plan on checking out additional titles by this author.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

With the recent release of the movie "Eat, Pray, Love," based on the book of the same name, I felt the need to revisit the 2006 bestseller by Elizabeth Gilbert to see if I had a different opinion a second time around. Sadly, I did not. If anything I found the book more irritating this time around.

I really love the idea of this book - solitary woman picks herself up after a difficult divorce, travels the world over to find herself, and, whoops, falls in love along the way - what's not to like? Well, for one thing, I was hoping for more of a travelogue - how the places and people she visits transform her life and vice versa. Instead it was more of, "look at me in Italy, in India, in Bali." The author seems unable, or unwilling, to look outside of her own narrow view of things long enough to grasp that there are people around her with far greater problems than hers.

Gilbert's journey also lacks credibility, as she is paid a healthy advance to write the story of her travels before she even embarks. Maybe I am a little jealous, but the fact that she's getting paid for all of this self-discovery prior to it even happening sort of sullies the integrity of her story.

I mostly dislike the book because it seems like such a wasted opportunity - Gilbert had a chance to be a heroine and an inspiration to not only women everywhere but anyone who has hit a point in their life where they do not know what direction to go. Rather than using this time to grow as a person and enrich her life and the lives of those around her, she instead chooses to focus more and more on herself and how those around her might assist her in achieving even greater levels of self-involvement.

Overall, despite my negative experience with this particular book, I would still recommend people give it a try - readers I have spoken with have either loved it or hated it, you might be the one who loves it.

The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World.

When three friends who are up-and-coming young professionals in New York City wonder if the corporate fast lane is all it's cracked up to be, they decide there is only one way to find out. Leaving their jobs, their boyfriends and their lives behind, Holly, Amanda and Jen embark on a year-long adventure around the world.

After carefully researching and budgeting, the women begin their quest in South America. From there, they head to various locations in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Some aspects of the trip have been pre-arranged, such as relief work in Africa or studying at an ashram in India, but in between, the women leave themselves open to itinerary changes in an effort to broaden their experiences as much as possible.

As an armchair traveler, I loved reading about the different locations and cultures that the friends visited. Each of the women have a background in journalism, so they each took turns writing their experiences - although I did not really relate personally with any of the authors, the different perspectives were really interesting. This book is both a fascinating travelogue and a study in friendship.

All Over the Map by Laura Fraser

Wow, I can see by the topic of books I've been reading that I am due for a vacation! My latest is titled, All Over the Map, written by Laura Fraser. She authored an earlier book called, An Italian Affair, which I would recommend reading prior to this one, but it's certainly not mandatory. In the earlier book, Fraser details her post-divorce relationship with a Paris professor, providing the reader a window into her broken heart and slowly-healing self image. It is a lovely little book.

Her latest autobiographical tale begins as she awaits the professor's company in Mexico on yet another romantic travel adventure. When he arrives, he shares some news with her that will end their relationship as she knows it. She leaves Mexico with renewed determination to find love, companionship and security. She undertakes this new mission the only way she knows how - by succumbing to her desire to travel, explore new places and meet new people.

It is on one of these adventures that she unexpectedly becomes a victim - something that shatters her confidence and steals the magic of travel from her. Will she ever be able to recover her love of travel and the nerve to wander on her own? Will she find the love and/or home she is searching for? Fraser is a gifted writer with a wonderful sense of humor. This book is great for any one who seeks love, adventure, and dreams of far off places. Think Eat, Pray, Love but way less self-absorption. Also check out Fraser's website at: http://www.laurafraser.com/

Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines

In Maines' debut novel, she dreams of a marvelous world where cosmetics giant Carrie Mae not only employs women to sell makeup, but also operates a top-secret arm that works undercover to empower and fight for women's rights around the world. Not only do they hand pick women for this duty, they also outfit them with the most fabulous accessories: poisonous breath spray; blush brush knives; and, tracking device earrings, to name a few.

Nikki Lanier, educated as a linguist but struggling to find gainful employment, falls into the Carrie Mae company at the prodding of her overly-involved mother, and is quickly recruited by one of the upper management of the top-secret portion of the company. Lacking a better option, she undergoes rigorous training in preparation for her first mission - locating and rescuing a missing activist in Thailand. Teamed with an older and much more experienced partner, Nikki is thrown into the world of human trafficking and soon is not sure who she can trust. While the ending of the book is a bit clunky between characters, gadgets and plot, overall this is an entertaining twist on the chick lit genre.

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Mary Beth Latham has a good life. Married with three teenage children, she devotes herself to her family, yet still manages to run a landscaping business on the side. Each of her kids requires something different of her - eighteen year-old Ruby is independent and creative, ready to move on to college; the twins, Max and Alex, are fraternal in every way. Max is quiet and a loner; Alex is a star athlete and popular. Despite all the different needs, schedules and lives, Mary Beth manages to create a happy and secure home for her family.

One night, Mary Beth's world is shattered by one violent, tragic act. As she struggles to recover, she must rediscover what she holds dear while dealing with her staggering loss. While this is a difficult book to read at times, it is also beautifully written. Quindlen is amazing at writing real women characters and relationships. While ultimately an uplifting story, it is a long hard road for both Mary Beth and the reader to reach that point of hopefulness at the end of the book.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I really must thank the "Bookies" book club for selecting this book to read for the April discussion - otherwise I might never have read it. I had read the reviews, knew it was a popular choice for readers of all types, but the description just did not do it for me. Once I started, however, I was hooked.

Told from the perspectives of three different women, The Help takes place in Jackson Mississippi in the 1960's, when the winds of change are just beginning to blow and civil rights are moving to the forefront of the American conscience. Aibileen is an older, wiser black woman who has spent her life raising her employer's white children. She is strong, faithful and intelligent. Her best friend is Minny, younger, spirited, and has a reputation for being mouthy and difficult (among her white employers.) Skeeter is a member of the white gentry, who grew up on a cotton plantation and was raised by her mother's black servant, Constantine, and whose friends are now hiring "help" of their own. The three women take turns narrating the story, as they become tied together in a manner that none of them could have anticipated.

A few readers I know had a difficult time getting into the story; once they made it through the first few chapters, they were invested. This is a powerful story of love, courage, empowerment, sisterhood and survival. This is a great read for a book club or just for your own enjoyment. It is hard to believe that this is Kathryn Stockett's first novel - I cannot wait for her next offering!