I really enjoyed Rosner's creative and beautifully written novel, The Yellow Bird Sings. She gives us a new window concerning female survival during the hardships of WWII. The mother-daughter pair use their determination, love and imagination to find a way to live under unique hardships.

I particularly enjoyed the way the love for music maintains itself as a lifeline in this jewel of a book.

Marie Benedict helps the reader form an important intimate relationship with an entirely original historical character. As unique as Winston Churchill was, his Lady was as strong-willed and powerful as a woman could be in her time. Benedict shows Clementine's sense of historical relevance in all that she does.

Not afraid to show Clementine's self perceived weaknesses, such as her failure as a mother to her older children, Marie Benedict helps the reader know and appreciate Lady Churchill in her own right . My regret is that she didn't tell me more.

Jaquira Diaz shares her wild and crazy life with hopes that other girls will relate and perhaps realize that they are not alone with their sufferings. I found this a tough read due to not being familiar with Puerto Rican culture or the Spanish that was interspersed throughout. I kept hoping for Jaquira's life to stabilize and it almost never did.

I was charmed by the strong setting in rural south-west England and the intricacies of wood craft in Ellie and the Harpmaker. While the romance is not surprising, the character of both Ellie the Exmoor Housewife and Dan the Harpmaker are engaging. This is a satisfying read if you are looking for a charming romance.

I was instantly taken into the complex lives of the women in the Butler Family. In this book we see how they have suffered, sacrificed, celebrated and unified to survive and to tend to the needs of the family's female heirs, Little Vi and Kim. Set in rural Michigan, this African American family is very real as they strive to succeed in a world where life is tough.

This non-fiction books takes you to India and another world. The author learns all about why people in India value fresh cow's milk and may be picky about the color of the cow that the milk came from. She begins the book with a cow being paraded into an apartment as a blessing.

If cultural traditions involving livestock fascinate you, then this book is for you.

Hold on and take a ride with a young woman who makes a mistake and see where it leads her. How unforgiving our society is towards women!

Zevin allows us to enter the minds of the young woman's mother, grandmother, "other woman" and finally we enter the mind of the young woman herself.
I couldn't put this down and read it in only two sittings.

I was swept up, enchanted, educated and amused by the fabulous novel Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk. Lillian is based loosely on the real life "highest paid woman in advertising" who worked for Macy's in New York. A woman ahead of her time, Lillian was passionate about her career and uncertain about the appeal of marriage and motherhood. Lillian lets us walk through her life as well as beside her on the streets of Manhattan. I couldn't bear for our relationship to end.

A gripping novel that brings alive the historical poet, Aemeia Bassano Lanier. We learn to love her as a young girl and follow her through to middle age. We see her struggle with the limiting issue of being a female in these times. Beautifully researched and filled with rich historical details, this is a great read for those who love historical fiction or those who would enjoy a vivid story.