Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson

February 08, 2016

Julia Claiborne Johnson introduces an unusual cast of characters in her debut novel, Be Frank with Me. It’s a group so odd that they could only survive in the monied world of Hollywood. But, their eccentricities are the reasons for their charm. When Mr. Vargas,...

Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

January 12, 2016

Nora Roberts wraps up her Irish Born trilogy, the stories of three sisters, with the mystical Born in Shame. Born in Fire was the story of Maggie Concannon, the oldest sister, a tempestuous glass artist. In Born in Ice, she tells the story of Brianna, the quiet sister...

Like Family by Paolo Giordano

December 10, 2015

If Paolo Giordano actually means his characters are Like Family, it’s a sad little family in his latest novel. It’s a novel that leaves readers with more questions than answers. The unnamed narrator and his wife, Nora, have been married ten years. For most...

We Were Brothers by Barry Moser

November 15, 2015

If brothers can have such animosity that they fail to actually discuss their differences until they’re in their sixties, it’s no wonder countries and people worldwide can’t find common ground. Barry Moser addresses the first issue, that of brothers,...

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

July 30, 2015

So, I’m a heretic. While I found J. Ryan Stradal’s debut novel, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, fascinating, I didn’t love it as passionately as some of my librarian friends. It’s a bittersweet, offbeat story that introduces a cast of awkward...