Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this second tale in the Poisoner series by author Sara Poole. Francesca is a thoroughly modern heroine haunted by repressed memories of a brutal event in her past. The conviction she has of her inner "darkness" and her wry sense of humor make her an enjoyable narrator, if some of her feats of derring-do strain the reader's belief. A sexy novel with plot twists and turns and an ending that leaves plenty of room for Book Three, this book is a fun romp thru Renaissance Italy.

This beautifully written book explores the power of language and how we define ourselves through our speech. The characters in the book move together and come apart based on their ability to communicate. Words, with their ability to comfort and console as well as to destroy and alienate, take center stage. It was interesting to consider how much of an individual's personality is determined by their ability to express themselves to others, as well as how much that expression can deviate from the person's inner, private life.

In her latest novel, Carolyn Parkhurst, author of "The Dogs of Babel" explores the all-too-human wish to go back and re-imagine the endings to our life stories . The narrator, an author, has re-written the final scenes of several of her published works, approaching them from her own different perspective in time. She also seeks to mend her estranged relationship with her son as he faces a major crisis. While the ending of the story ties up the resolution to his crisis in an implausibly tidy manner, the novel's theme of rewriting one's history and thereby one's future will resonate.

When I first started this book, the plot device of the main character reminiscing about her past life was a bit off-putting, cliched, and heavy-handed (been there, done that). However, thankfully, the author did not continually move back and forth between past and present throughout the book, but instead embedded us into the life of a beautiful female Russian sniper. We learn what motivates Tat'yana Levchenko to write poetry and to kill Nazis, and follow her on her journey to America where the machinations and political posturing by both the US and Russia call into question her convictions about her country and her beliefs about her role in the war.

In The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel, author Maureen Lindley paints a fascinating portrait of a Chinese princess banished from her home and raised in Japan. Her loyalty to her adopted nation led her to become a spy for them and ultimately to her undoing. What I found interesting about this true story was its portrayal of the changing roles of women in Japan in the years leading up to WWI. Eastern Jewel was raised to be a traditional Japanese woman, whose main role in life was to be pleasing to men. She chose to use her beauty and sexuality, not just to please men, but to manipulate them to her ends. In this way, she was decidedly modern.

The main character in this book, Pearl Swain, seems somewhat unlikable at first glance, self-described as the "mean music teacher." She is the survivor of failed career aspirations, a failed marriage, and seems to be largely going through the motions in her current narrow existence. But then a young, troubled musical prodigy enters Pearl's life and she begins to dream of more for herself, even if it is only through the youth and promise of others. While you may not agree with Pearl's methods or some of the choices she makes, you can't help but root for her to reclaim the music in her life.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I became immersed in it. This beautiful story of a mother and her children really resonated with me. The lengths that Rehana will go to in order to protect her children, and how far she will venture from her comfort zone in order to do so, is a testament to the love that parents have for their children. This love is mirrored in her children's and eventually her love for the newly formed Bangladesh. A beautiful, sad tale of love and war and the lengths to which people will go for what is foremost in their hearts.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham is a poignant "coming of age" story told from the perspective of Tessa, a sixteen year old girl dying of leukemia. Tessa often speaks with the voice of a typical self-absorbed teen, but her thoughts seem crystallized in their clarity as her time grows more brief. As she sets out to accomplish what takes most people a whole lifetime -- determining what makes for a well-lived life -- she comes to the life-affirming realization that the simple things -- the cycle of nature, the love of family and friends, human touch-- are the ones that mean the most. This book will appeal to young adult and adult readers and book clubs, and fans of The Lovely Bones.