Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal

  Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal.
                              Pamela Dorman Books, Viking, 2014.


For many years Queenie and her family have helped Miss Fannie run a household and learn the very proper ways of doing things in New Orleans. But, it's 1964, and times are changing. Dollbaby and her own daughter Birdelia have new ideas. When Miss Fannie's estranged son dies, his widow Vidrine drops off tween Ibby to live with her grandmother. Fannie, Queenie, Dollbaby, and Ibby form solid family bonds and navigate both the past and the future up to 1972.


Full of believable characters, interesting happenings, and a vivid setting, this tale is truly a masterful debut novel. The title character could be argued as integral to the story, but it is through young Ibby's eyes that readers see and come to understand the truths about her family and the times. This will be the talk of your next book group!

Charleston by Margaret Bradham Thornton

 Charleston by Margaret Bradham Thornton. HarperCollins, 2014.


When Eliza Poinsett visits her home in the South after college and a dream stint in London that includes art and a dashingly handsome Etonian, it's been ten years. Her old flame, Henry, awaits. "Will she?" or "Won't she?" stay and reconcile with her past?


While this could be the plot of a fluffy romance, this fiction debut is a real heart breaker! The lush descriptions of the South are gorgeous and worthy of armchair travel. The slowly paced plot allows for enjoyment of both settings and actions. Readers will root for Eliza and her quirky neighbors and friends as they learn to appreciate every single minute of Life itself.  All will be resolved, but probably not in the way that readers expect!

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

  Rain Reign. By Ann M. Martin. Feiwel and Friends, an                              imprint  of  Macmillan, 2014. Middle Grade fiction. 




Although she is known for her wildly popular Babysitter Club series of books, Ann M. Martin has also won a Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe. The woman is an insightful writer of stories about children and dogs. This one book, Rain Reign, is a masterpiece of understatement, reality, and insight.




Rose Howard's diagnosis is high functioning autism. Rose lives with her father in a cabin near Hatford, New York. She struggles with life both at school and at home. Things change for the better when a dog comes into Rose's life. When Hurricane Susan turns inland and Rose's town is in its cross-hairs, Rose loses Rain. In the course of events, Rose learns that true love and bravery go hand in hand. Martin chose not to just end with a happy reunion, but throws curves that force Rose and readers to dig deep within themselves and ponder heart-rending decisions. While the ending is resolved and is really the best ending possible for Rain, and for Rose, this upbeat, but melancholy, story will start conversations among many readers about dogs, parents, families, and hurricanes, too.




Curriculum tie-ins are a natural with this title. Getting along with others, following rules, and even cafeteria manners are addressed. Rose loves homonyms and prime numbers so don't be surprised if students start their own lists! But, please don't be put off by the difficulty of reading these words aloud. Maybe just keep a running list on the chalkboard for students to see. This book is meant to be shared and will definitely be loved by a wide variety of readers!                          

The Visitors by Sally Beauman

The Visitors: A Novel by Sally Beauman. Harper, 2014.
                                  Adult fiction.


Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and archaeologist Howard Carter are well known for their discovery of King Tut's tomb. Sally Beauman has taken real characters and interspersed them among just as riveting fictional ones. The main characters are the fictional eleven-year-old Lucy and her friend Frances, a real girl who was the daughter of an archaeologist. Readers follow Lucy throughout her lifetime and in the end it is Lucy who looks back to tell what happened to all of the imagined and real characters. Beauman weaves the tales of families, discoveries, secrets, and love masterfully into this 529 page book. Beauman is clear about fact and fantasy with charts to explain who's who and includes endpaper maps of the Valley of the Kings. She does not tie up all loose ends though as with Poppy or exactly the relationship between Nicola and Clair or even if anyone besides Lucy ever got to read Miss Mackenzie's memoir.  But, if readers are willing to forgive a few minor points, they will love the story and the atmospheric descriptions.


After a hot ALA in Las Vegas and summer heat in Houston, I somehow took refuge in this book's Egyptian settings and English manners. I could not decide whether to read it quickly to find out what happened or just savor a few pages a day and enjoy the ride. I chose the latter and looked forward to being with Lucy and Frances for a little while each night. What a great way to spend some air-conditioned moments in armchair travel! The book will make readers run to learn more about the 1920's, King Tut, and the Carnarvons. Fans of Downton Abbey will recognize the class system, clothing, and food described.

The House on the Cliff: A Novel by Charlotte Williams

  The House on the Cliff: A Novel by Charlotte Williams. Bourbon Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2013. Adult fiction.


Psychologist Jessica Mayhew's new client, Gwydion Morgan, has some problems. He has a button phobia, for one thing. His wealthy family of stage folks owns a huge clifftop mansion on the Welsh coast. Perhaps the au pair who disappeared when Gwydion was a child did not die accidentally. As Jessica tries to help, her own marriage, her children, and her own practice become endangered. A tightly paced psychological thriller, this one will keep you guessing about potential "baddies" and ultimate outcomes.

Netherwood: A Novel by Jane Sanderson

  Netherwood: A Novel by Jane Sanderson. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2011. Adult fiction.

Tiring of waiting for another season of Downton Abbey? Netherwood is the ancestral home of coal baron Lord Netherwood and his family. The small village nearby is home to miners, villagers, and a few visitors. The two groups meet when Eve Williams, an enterprising young mother faces a tragedy. Her former act of charity brings a new lodger and friend, a Russian woman. Eve becomes a fabulous baker and is tapped by the Netherwoods to help at the manor and in their London home. Love and realistic situations in a slowly paced beautifully told tale! Sequel is Ravenscliffe.

Natchez Burning by Greg Isles

 Natchez Burning by Greg Isles. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. 2014. Adult fiction.

Dr. Cage has treated almost everyone over the years and when he is charged with a crime, many of the residents of Natchez, both black and white, are willing to do anything to help him. Not the least of these is his son, Penn, the mayor and a former prosecutor. Penn's fiance, the smart and beautiful publisher of the local newspaper, has already won a Pulitzer. When old racial troubles and past history influence the present, the three characters are tied in a race for their lives. Full of violent, emotional and really mean people who want the past to stay in the past, this is a huge tale that will carry the reader along for a wild ride into the South's mossy swamps, juke joints, and even homes of the privileged few. A thriller to the very end!