I started reading Lilac Girls and I couldn’t put it down. Truth be told it’s not the best writing ever but it’s one of those historical fiction books that sucks you in and you end up loving it! It's the eve of WWII and the story alternates between three women--An American, a German, and a Pole. It’s a mesmerizing story inspired by the lives of real women. A guaranteed book club fave! … [Read more...] about Lilac Girls

This is a gem of a book.  I guarantee that you will love it.  Set in the 1870's, Jiles brings together two unlikely companions--Capt. Kidd, an itinerant news reader in Texas, and a white girl, about 10, rescued from the Kiowa Indians who kidnapped her.  Kidd is charged with returning the girl to her closest living relatives.  What ensues is an eventful and heartfelt tale about these two travelers, their journey, and what will happen when she and Kidd reach their final destination.  It's an … [Read more...] about News of the World

This book is hilarious.  If you're sensitive to the F-bomb, "get over it"!  The truth is that this is a great book about learning to give a f*ck about the things that really matter in life.  Manson urges us to take a look at what we really seem to care about and change those things.  In other words, shift your values with the keystone question being "is this f*ck worthy?"  Manson says most of the common things people care too much about include: impressing people, being right all the time, being … [Read more...] about The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

In his inspiring new book, Lidsky shares his remarkable journey from how he lost his sight in his teens to his subsequent triumph over his "disability." In fact, he became the first blind U.S. Supreme Court law clerk.  Lidsky urges others to reject "self-limiting" assumptions and to create one's own reality.  Lidsky writes: "Going blind is the blessing that showed me how to live with my eyes wide open." … [Read more...] about Eyes Wide Open

This book is an amazing story that certainly lived up to its reputation! The novel follows a 15-year-old slave named Cora as she escapes north via a literal network of underground tracks and trains (yes, in the book, the underground railroad is a real train). Whitehead said that he had avoided writing a book like this for a long time because it was hard for him to face something that scared him so much. I too was afraid to read it for the same reasons. But I dove in, and I couldn’t put it down! … [Read more...] about The Underground Railroad

Set aside enough time to finish Two Girls Down because it’s a page turner.  It’s every parent’s worst nightmare; two young girls disappear during a quick shopping trip to Target.  Their single mother, Jamie Brandt, is heartsick and distraught. Jamie’s aunt contacts Alice Vega, a famous California bounty hunter.  Within 24 hours, Vega arrives in Schuylkill County, PA. She needs a partner, someone who knows the local scene. Max Caplan, “Cap”, is her choice—once a local cop, now a private … [Read more...] about Two Girls Down

The subtitle of this book is “Stop believing the lies about who you are so you can become who you were meant to be,” and that’s what Rachel explores in 20 life-lessons she’s learned about how to overcome the falsehoods that left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy and how she moved past them.  With raw honesty and humor, she shares her personal stories along with practical and inspiring advice on how to combat the lies and misconceptions (that so many of us fall victim to) in order to live a … [Read more...] about Girl, Wash Your Face

This is a fun read about a manipulative woman who worms her way into the lives of a wealthy “golden couple” to achieve the privileged life she so desperately wants and feels she deserves.  It’s a twisty, juicy novel with great characters, snappy dialogue, and one crazy ending. You won’t be able to stop once you get started. … [Read more...] about The Last Mrs. Parrish

Why did parents start looking for razor blades in apples that were given out on Halloween?  Do you remember when you became aware of the amount of fat in a bucket of movie theater popcorn? Why was the Subway sandwich diet so successful? This enlightening book explores why some ideas are more memorable. The Heath brothers unearth six characteristics of “sticky” ideas and offer practical, entertaining, and fascinating information about how we can communicate more effectively.  According to the … [Read more...] about Made to Stick