Honor is an apt name for a novel that explores all the ways that we can be honorable and all the ways that people commit atrocities and betrayals in the name of honor. The book has a dual story line. One is the family history of Smita, an Indian journalist who returns to India after many years away. The other is of Meena, a Hindu woman who has been hideously scarred in a fire that took the life of her husband. The fire was set by her brothers in protest of the fact that their sister married a Musim. Meena has now taken the brothers to court to be held responsible for their actions and to protect her and her infant daughter. The two women are brought together by Smita reporting on the trial. This is not a light read. It is really eye opening and educational about honor killings and the rights of women in India. I would highly recommend it.

The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue is a beautiful and compelling book. It speaks of teenage love and jealousy and finding out who you really are. She talks about the hierarchy of teenage girls, and she gets it so right that you can actually feel the angst. It speaks of female friendship and the things that can bind it or tear it apart. The characters are extremely well written and fleshed out. You really get a full picture of the religious boarding school experience where this takes place. The beginning of the book was a little bit confusing as it was written from the point of view of different characters who we hadn't met yet, but it very quickly pulled me in and I couldn't stop reading it. The author is exceptionally good at creating atmosphere. She draws you in and there are times when I just felt such dread about what was going to happen. Excellent book about friendship, unrequited love, guilt, and what happens when you break the rules that are imposed upon you. I really enjoyed this book and I think it would be a great choice for a book club as so many issues come up that warrant discussion. It's hard to believe this is the author's first novel.

Every once in a while you go in to a book with no expectations whatsoever, and it blows you away. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is one of those books.
On the surface, it is a story about a mother and her child trying to escape a drug cartel in Mexico, but it is really so much more. It is a story about the families we are born into and the families we make. About a mother's love for her son and her willingness to do anything to keep him safe even though she is absolutely terrified. It's about the ability of the human spirit to endure no matter how horrific an experience they have lived through.

The book draws you in immediately-the first pages are heartbreaking yet you will race on to finish them. Every character is fully formed and the author clearly knows what she is writing about. Beautiful writing, believable characters and a story that is so timely in the world we currently live in. Highly recommended for any reader and it will certainly spark a lot of conversation if read in a book club. This book actually gave me a book hangover that is making it difficult for me to move on to another story. I can't recommend this book enough.

I read a lot, and I can often figure out what's going to happen at the end of a book before it's revealed. That was not the case with You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley. The author takes a story that could be confusing, and makes it easy to understand, but more importantly impossible to put down. It had so many aspects that I liked-a good love story, some unexplained happenings, sympathetic characters, and an ending you could never see coming. I think this book would interest fans of many genres and I highly recommend it.

This beautifully written story discusses many issues: impression vs truth, fact vs fiction and the lengths we will go for our family. Each character was fully developed, and I found it very interesting how they all viewed each other. There might not always be only one truth and many things can affect how we view the world. It was fascinating to put together all of the different perspectives. I love a good expat story and this one did not disappoint.

The Weight of Ink was a wonderful historical novel. It was obvious that the author did a tremendous amount of research into her subject and she was able to present this information in a story that moved along at a brisk pace. There were two timelines in this story, and as is not always the case, both were interesting and held my attention. Would recommend this for anyone who likes to feel as if they have been transported to another time and place in their reading.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I loved the author's first book, and let me say, I was not disappointed. The author is an expert at ratcheting up the tension in this thriller. I tend to guess a twist in a story, but this one kept me guessing. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, the author sent the story in another direction. I read this book in one day, mostly because I refused to do anything else until I finished it. Anyone who likes a highly involving read that keeps you guessing until the end will surely enjoy this book.

The Forgetting Time was a very enjoyable read with well drawn, believable characters. I liked the unique subject matter-a chid who is born carrying the soul of another child recently deceased -and I thought the author did a very good job of presenting different storylines and then tying them all together. The real life case studies the author presented were also very interesting... There are a lot of themes in the book-love, grief, acceptance and letting go of the past as well as the willingness to look beyond the obvious to help someone you love. Excellent debut novel . I would definitely read more from this author.

I am a huge fan of Paula Brackston's books, and was really looking forward to reading this one. The story is told in two connected narratives set years apart which is one of my favorite types of stories. It concerns two women who are both from the same line of witches. The ancient story was very well done and engrossing, but the modern day one didn't quite work for me. The events that occurred and the romance that developed didn't flow naturally for me and a last minute one line connection between the characters seemed tacked on at the end. I think there was a really good story here-it just needed to be fleshed out more. I will definitely continue to read this author, but this one just wasn't my favorite.

The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber is unlike anything I have read before. It is a wonderful story about faith, love, religion and responsibility. The main character, a pastor, struggles with these issues as they relate to his relationship with his wife, as well as to his responsibility to the world at large. The fact that he undergoes these struggles on another planet while galaxies away from his home on Earth makes it all the more poignant. The author frames these themes in a book that you will not be able to put down. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a great story that makes you think.

I absolutely loved this book. It was many things - a love story, an adventure story, and a tale of overcoming obstacles. It was also the best sort of historical fiction-a book that makes you feel as though you are in a different time and place. The author seems to have a real love for nature - the descriptions of the places the main characters travel on their journey are really beautiful. In addition, the language is very accessible - I was pulled right into the story and finished it in 2 days. The characters were very well drawn and interesting. My only complaint is that the story ended abruptly - I wasn't ready for it to end! I really hope the author is working on a sequel. I highly recommend this book.

I love historical fiction, and this book did not disappoint. I could not put it down. In addition to a very strong sense of time and place, this book has extremely well developed characters and a very vivid writing style that allows you to see the story as you are reading it. Add in some mysterious elements and an increasing sense of menace, and you have a very successful and atmospheric novel. Highly recommended!

I absolutely adored this book! "The Night Circus" is an enchanting, magical fairy tale. From the beginning you are transported to another time and place, and you will not want to leave. This is a story about love, destiny and magic and it is so beautifully written that I had to force myself to slow down and enjoy the writing instead of rushing ahead so that more of the story was revealed. All of the characters are wonderfully written, including the character of the circus itself. This is a story that you will not soon forget. An absolute pleasure to read.

Outlander, by Diane Gabaldon, is one of those rare books that immediately pulls you in and doesn't let go. From the first page, you are drawn into another world, and you don't want to leave. I found myself torn between wanting to read it every moment I could, and wanting to put it away so it wouldn't end too quickly. Even though it is a very long book, don't be put off by the size. It is very quick reading and will appeal to all sorts of readers. Fans of historical fiction, time travel and adventure will all find something to like in this book. I will advise you not to finish this book until you have the next of the series in hand so you won't have to wait before continuing the story. Truly one of the best books I have read .

This story is a mystery about a man's search for his identity, and how he needs to discover the truth about his past in order to face his future. While the plot was very promising, ultimately the book was disappointing. The story goes back and forth in time introducing so many characters and their histories, that it was hard to keep them straight or to know who the author was talking about at any given time. The writing style was also very difficult to lose oneself in - there was so much use of figurative language that a lot of time was spent trying to figure out what the author was trying to say. All in all, good potential, but a disappointing read.