THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate

Two intertwined stories combine to tell this tale. One story tells of three women in 1875 heading to Texas from Louisiana searching for lost family members or lost fortunes. The second story concerns a first-year teacher in a tiny Mississippi River town and her uninterested students. In encouraging her students, Benedetta and her students discover a long lost book. Wingate did her research in discovering the background of the “Lost Friends” sections of some southern newspapers. Her research is the basis for this book Wingate always gives us well developed characters and well plotted tales. This book is no exception. 5 of 5 stars

THREE WORDS FOR GOODBYE by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

Estranged Sisters Clara and Madelaine are sent by their dying grandmother on a journey to Paris, Venice and Vienna as World War II approaches. In each city they are to deliver a letter to someone Grandmother Violet knew many years earlier. The trip is one of luxury - they take the Queen Mary first class to Paris – but fraught with the growing threat of Hitler. As the sisters complete the journey they discover much about themselves and about their grandmother and the life she lead forty years earlier. Secrets are discovered and sisterly affection may be rediscovered. An interesting story that unfolds in layers as the sisters travel. 4 of 5 stars

THE SECOND LIFE OF MIRIELLE WEST by Amanda Skenandore

This tragic story with a (relatively) happy ending follows the wife of a Hollywood star and mother to small children as she battles leprosy. In the 1920’s no cure is known for the disease and MIrielle is sent to The United States Marine Hospital Louisiana. Carville,as the leprosarium is known, is home to sufferers of Hanson’s Disease until they are cured and can return to normal society. Mirielle quickly discovers that Carville is akin to prison. When she attempts to steal out, she falls, breaks her arm, and then is sent to “Jail” for 30 days. The story follows her as she attempts to settle in to Carville, keep in touch with her two small daughters and husband, and prevent anyone “on the outside” from learning of her disease. Carville is presented is all its promise and despair. Based on true incidents and people SECOND LIFE is an intriguing and enlightening tale well worth your time. 5 of 5 stars

HONOR by Thrity Umrigar

HONOR by Thrity Umrigar India, a land of contradictions, is front and center in this novel of HONOR and how it can be used to hurt and even kill. Two women share the spotlight, Meena, dreadfully maimed by her brothers because she has brought dishonor to their family, and Smita, an American journalist who has her own reasons for avoiding India and all it has meant to her family and who is charged to write Meena’s story. This book was difficult to read and yet necessary to understanding the conflicting and conflicted women and men is this novel. The modern India of large cities and modern conveniences is balanced by the India of small villages where tribal leaders hold sway over men and women who live in primitive conditions. Muslim India is balanced by Hindu India, two “peaceful” faiths that bring about horrors beyond imagining when they come into conflict. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand the conflicts in India and by extension the conflicts in many parts of the world where men and women, Christian and Jew, Hindu and Muslim, orthodox and liberal, come into conflict. Well written and sympathetic, HONOR earns 5 of 5 stars

AT THE CHINESE TABLE -- Carolyn Phillips

This utterly delightful book combines memoir with recipes. The memoir portion consists of a fascinating account of the author’s years in Taiwan sparked by mouthwatering descriptions of the food she eats as she learns Mandarin and falls in love with the country, the cuisines of China and J H Huang. Along the way we are introduced to her imperious future mother-in-law who is won over with a time consuming, challenging recipe for a treat that hadn’t been tasted in 40 years by her now blissful MIL. Because I love to cook as much as I love to read and eat, I tried several of the recipes. Because I live in a city with a thriving Chinatown I was able to find most of the authentic ingredients. The recipes cover everything from beverages to main dishes to side dishes and condiments to even an odd “dessert” of “Coffee Gelee.” Simple strong coffee gelled with Knox unflavored gelatin and then coated with sweetened condensed milk became an odd favorite of my family. Not so simple but equally appreciated were Strange-Flavor Peanuts, Chilled Winter Melon and Bear Paw Doufu. The recipes were easy to follow once the ingredients were obtained. I highly recommend this book both as memoir and as cookbook. 5 of 5 stars

THE GUNCLE by Steven Rowley

THE GUNCLE by Steven Rowley Patrick, or GUP, or gay Uncle Patrick, becomes guardian to Masie, his 9 year old niece, and Grant, his 6 year old nephew, when their mother dies and their father enters rehab. This laugh out loud funny novel has great depth of empathy for grief and loss. In between the laughs you will find serious takes on family, love, neighbors, friends, enemies, hate, love, success, and a host of other life situations. Well written and empathetic but never preachy, this is a good novel for book groups with a wealth of topics for discussion. 5 of 5 stars

CODE ORANGE by Carolyn B Cooney

CODE ORANGE by Carolyn B Cooney Mitty is a typical slacker high schooler with a crush on the school brainiac. Mitty and Olivia need to research a biology paper. Olivia chooses typhoid fever, Mitty chooses smallpox. In his research Mitty happens on old envelope that says it contains smallpox scabs. Mitty, of course, opens and then smells and crumbles the scabs. Is he infected? Will he infect others? Who else is interested in smallpox, a disease that no longer exists – or does it? Mitty is well developed as is Olivia. The other characters are less well developed and are incidental to the plot. The plot is intricate and after a slow start is heart poundingly detailed. Good information on smallpox is given and is necessary for plot development. Teens will love this novel by a noted writer of YA books. Adults (and teens) will remember their high school days and identify with either Mitty or Olivia. 5 of 5 stars