Graduations and More                                          


 The Red Book by Deborah Copaken Kogan.
                                Voice (Hyperion), 2012

Billed as Mary McCarthy's The Group meets The Big Chill, this novel about Harvard's class of 1989 is full of both humor and drama. Every five years after graduation, the students are asked to submit an essay about themselves and their current lives. This "Red Book" is then sent to everyone. As the 20th reunion approaches, a small group of women prepare to meet those friends that they think they know...and find a tremendous amount they do not know! 

Debt Novels: Cascade, The Last Telegram

Debut Novels                                     


 Cascade by Maryanne O'Hara. Viking, 2012. (Adult fiction)

In this debut novel, O'Hara tells of a young woman, Dez, who searches for love and a fulfilled life in the 1930's. Vital to the story is the little town of Cascade, Massachusetts which may soon be flooded in the interest of "progress". Shakespeare, a theater, death and betrayal all play into the happenings. As Dez examines prejudice, feelings, and love, what will her future hold? Will she choose the wrong man, but for all the right reasons?  O'Hara creates compelling characters that readers will want to know about, but few will predict the plot twists or the final events. Watch for more from this talented new novelist!


The Last Telegram by Liz Trenow. Sourcebooks, 2013. (Adult fiction)

Lily Verner's family has run a silk mill in England for generations. WWII brings new opportunities and challenges when they begin to make silk parachutes. The war changes the lives of all the characters. As an older woman, Lily looks back on past mistakes and she believes no one gets second chances. A striking debut, the novel is multilayered and rich with details as well as strong women who take on new responsibilities during wartime.