Bad Animals by Sarah Braunstein grabbed me on the first page and never let go. Maeve, an empty nester, loses her beloved job at the community library after being accused of an indiscretion involving a young patron. Consequently, Maeve is at loose ends, and as her story unfolded, I was completely drawn into her life of love, lust, envy, lies, revenge and regret. In spite of her foibles and questionable actions, she remained likable and real, and I found myself pulling for her. Bad Animals would engender a lively and thoughtful discussion for book clubs. I'm new to Sarah Braunstein's writing, and I'm eager to read more.

"Paper Names" is a beautifully written story that focuses on three characters: Tony, an immigrant from China; his daughter, Tammy, a first-generation American; and Oliver, an American attorney, who are thrown together as a result of a random act of violence. The story is told from the three characters' perspectives and highlights various years in their lives. There is a lot going on: immigrants' struggles, family relationships, family dysfunction, coming of age, family secrets, and ultimately, what love really means. The characters' stories are so compelling that I found myself reading well into the night. Because it would generate a lively discussion, "Paper Names" would be an excellent choice for a book club.

It's 1957 and Alice Young is heading north when she gets off the bus for a break in New Jessup, Alabama, an all Black town. She is enamored by the freedom and people she encounters and decides to stay. Her story unfolds against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement with an eye-opening revelation: not all Black people, especially those in all Black towns, were in favor of integration even though their towns were not totally independent and they couldn't vote. They had fought hard for their peaceful existence, and they didn't want to change. I am grateful to Jamila Minnicks for enlightening me about this overlooked chapter in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. I loved the story and the well-drawn characters and felt like I would have liked to live in New Jessup.

Ruben Degollado paints a realistic family portrait of three generations headed by a patriarch and matriarch who emigrated to the United States from Mexico. Theirs is a story of family complete with joys, sorrows, love, grudges, illness, fun, closeness, loyalty and a CURSE! I especially enjoyed The Family Izquierdo because I've lived on the US/Mexico border for nearly all my life, and I appreciate the interplay of familial and cultural dynamics and the author's use of Spanish to tell the family's story. The book is a collection of short stories, but the author tied it together so well that I felt like I was reading a novel. Very enjoyable read!

All my life, I've only know mainland China as a communist government, but I never knew how that came about. Reading "Peach Blossom Spring" by Melissa Fu opened my eyes to the brutal history of China's war with Japan in 1938, the subsequent communist takeover of mainland China, and the displacement of so many Chinese citizens to Taiwan and elsewhere. "Peach Blossom Spring" is a moving and beautifully written story that traces one family's battle to overcome impossible odds, their fight to survive and begin anew, their difficulties in dealing with the past, and their struggle to adjust and belong.

The strength of these well-drawn characters takes my breath away, and their story will stay with me forever. I highly recommend "Peach Blossom Spring" to readers who appreciate well-researched historical fiction and a memorable story of resilience.

"The Family Chao" grabbed me right from the beginning with this line from the introduction: "No one could have believed that such good food was cooked by bad people."From that point, I was hooked. The story of the Chao family is a modern re-telling of "The Brothers Karamazov" and deals with multiple themes: family dysfunction, the immigrant experience in the United States, race, murder, and mystery. The vivid descriptions, conversations, and development of characters were so well-written that I got involved in the story and could imagine I was there. This book would be ideal for book clubs. After reading it, I am longing to discuss it with someone. Outstanding, Ms. Lan Samantha Chang!

It's 1973, and Civil Townsend has landed her first job as a nurse in a family planning clinic. She has high hopes until she realizes that ethically questionable procedures are being performed on women and young girls. The unfolding story is powerful and compelling, the characters are brave and unforgettable, and what happened is a story that must be told. Thank you, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, for opening my and other readers' eyes to this unconscionable tragedy.

Who is the chalk man? That was the question hovering in the back of my mind as I became engrossed in this suspenseful and dark thriller. The author effectively shifts back and forth from events that occurred in 1986 to what's happening in 2016 as the mystery unravels. The characters are well-developed, and I particularly appreciated the author's dry sense of humor. And then there is the uber-creepy ending...yikes! If you love a well-constructed mystery, The Chalk Man doesn't disappoint.

Very engaging and cleverly written, Young Jane Young grabbed me immediately, and I couldn't put it down. It's a story about women in various stages of life, and I identified with the struggles and triumphs of each one: young girl, teenager, college coed, mother, and grandmother. The story is effectively told from the various women's points of view, the topics and themes are 21st century (ripped from the headlines), and the characters are strongly developed and likeable. On top of all that, the book was a fun read---parts made me laugh out loud. I highly recommend Young Jane Young and will pitch it to my book club.

I've been intrigued and fascinated with Andrew Wyeth's painting, "Christina's World," since I saw it the first time in my art appreciation class in college. Who was she? Why did she look so forlorn? Was she crawling to get to the house? So I was delighted to see that Christina Baker Kline has written her interpretation of Christina's life. Learning about her relationship with Andrew Wyeth and the painting was only a part of the story. The big story for me was the author's re-creation of her life, the struggles she endured and the descriptions of the times she lived through. Christina is such a well -developed character that I feel like we are friends. I totally enjoyed reading this novel!

"Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk" and I thoroughly enjoyed every step! As she walked 10.4 miles (!) on New Year's Eve at age 85, the reader learns about her interesting life and gets to know her very well. She is young in spirit, funny, sarcastic, spunky, brave, and a feminist before that was a popular stance for women. Lillian's life would be an excellent topic for book clubs. I wish I could meet Lillian Boxfish on a walk and talk to her if only for a short time. Wonderful character, wonderful story!