Reading Group Guides Newsletter

January 28, 2023

Digging Deeper Through Conversation

In my book group, we keep up with one another via a Facebook group. If we see something interesting to read during the month, or something about an author we have read, we post it there. Close to the time of our meeting, which we are trying to keep to the third Wednesday of the month, we talk about where we are gathering. I am happy to host as I am the one without young children. There usually is some commentary about the book at this point. One member said this month, “I have strong feelings about this book (let’s be real, I often have strong feelings about our picks),” which made me smile.

There were 11 at our meeting about MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. While most were not mad about the book, we had a great discussion. Some of the negative comments came from those who had listened to the audio; they felt that one of the narrators did not nail her performance. A few thought that the characters' names were not realistic for their ages, which was interesting. I know authors who spend a lot of time trying to come up with names that are right for the ages of the people in their books. As an example, I cannot think of anyone right now with a young child named Carol. A couple of our group members are attorneys, and we ran some of the legal issues in the book by them to see if they were plausible. And they walked us through how they would be addressed. A few felt it was too long.

But when we had sorted through what we liked and did not like about the book, we moved on and had a really good discussion about transgender children, with contributions from two group members who had met kids transitioning through their work. Another member had a friend who transitioned at an older age, and he had to move cross-country as his family and friends wrote him out of their lives. The sharing of these experiences, along with our conversation about the book (which I had enjoyed and made a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick), were candid and insightful.

With reading there is usually just one perspective: your own. I always walk away from our group meetings grateful that I heard other perspectives, especially when they come from “get-together-once-a-month” friends whose opinions I respect. Oh, and we had some honey/chocolate/sugar-packed treats baked in filo dough that one of the group members, who is a great baker, brought. We love themed treats, and she is on point every time she bakes!

For next month we are reading THE MITFORD AFFAIR by Marie Benedict, which I loved and will talk more about later in this newsletter.

We have two new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you in this newsletter.

First up is Allegra Goodman, whose latest novel, SAM, is January’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. What happens to a girl’s sense of joy and belonging --- to her belief in herself --- as she becomes a woman? This unforgettable portrait of coming-of-age offers subtle yet powerful reflections on class, parenthood, addiction, lust and the irrepressible power of dreams.

We talk about the character development of Sam, and Allegra’s challenge of writing her with the right voice as she ages. We also explore Sam’s worldview during her coming of age and how it changes through the years as risk comes more to the forefront. Allegra explains why she included climbing in the book and who inspired Sam as a young climber. And we share our love of adventure films, namely one called Free Solo. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

My second interview is with Deborah Goodrich Royce. Her third novel, REEF ROAD, is a Bets On selection, and we’re featuring the discussion guide for it in this newsletter. The book was inspired by the murder of her mother’s best friend. When young surfers discover a severed hand that washes ashore in the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach, Florida, the lives of two women collide.

Deborah talks about this grisly scene, which she added later --- and the woman the boys never see on the beach. She offers insight into why she writes short chapters and the two voices in the book --- those of The Writer and The Wife. She has experience on the screen as an actress and as a script editor, which influences her writing. She also has restored a number of historic places, namely Ocean House in Rhode Island, and discusses how this skill finds its way into her novels. Deborah references a number of books and films that she has read and watched --- and details how they inspire her as a writer. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

As I mentioned earlier, Marie Benedict's new work of historical fiction is THE MITFORD AFFAIR, and I loved it so much that it’s my latest Bets On pick. The book revolves around novelist Nancy Mitford, who must choose between country and family when two of her sisters swear their allegiance to fascism in the lead-up to World War II.

Our Bookreporter reviewer Rebecca Munro calls it “[d]ishy, riveting and absorbingly complicated,” as well as “a close and anxiety-fueled look at the darkest hours of the Mitford family and the world at large. It is a spellbinding work of historical fiction from one of the genre’s finest writers.” Be sure to check out the guide, the full review and my Bets On commentary.

We also have added guides for these three books:

• THE NEW LIFE by Tom Crewe: In this powerful, visceral debut novel about love, sex and the struggle for a better world, two men collaborate on a book in defense of homosexuality, then a crime --- risking their old lives in the process.
   
• THE NIGHT TRAVELERS by Armando Lucas Correa: Separated by time but united by sacrifice, four women embark on journeys of self-discovery and find themselves to be living testaments to the power of motherly love.
   
• IN THE TIME OF OUR HISTORY by Susanne Pari: Set between San Francisco and New Jersey in the late 1990s, January’s Target Book Club pick is a story about the universal longing to create a home in this world --- and what happens when we let go of how we’ve always been told it should look.

As promised, our January “Bookaccino Live” afternoon event is now available on our YouTube channel. Click here to see me present 22 books releasing this month, along with 16 February and March titles, that I think will appeal to you.

This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to sign up for our upcoming “Bookaccino Live” preview event, which will take place on Wednesday, February 8th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between February 7th and February 28th, in addition to a few from March and April, that I would like to get on your radar. Click here to register. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.

Tom and I are still evaluating online book groups to suggest. We hope to have those ready for you next month.

Here’s to a great book group discussion in February, whether everyone likes the book or not.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!

New Guide: THE MITFORD AFFAIR by Marie Benedict
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

THE MITFORD AFFAIR by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters dominate the English scenes. Though they've weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader and Unity follows her sister's lead all the way to Munich, inciting rumors that she's become Hitler's mistress. As the Nazis rise in power, novelist Nancy Mitford grows suspicious of her sisters' constant visits to Germany and the high-ranking fascist company they keep. When she overhears alarming conversations and uncovers disquieting documents, Nancy must make excruciating choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: REEF ROAD by Deborah Goodrich Royce
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

REEF ROAD by Deborah Goodrich Royce (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
A young woman’s life seems perfect until her family goes missing. A writer lives alone with her dog and collects arcane murder statistics. What each of them stands to lose as they sneak around the do-not-enter tape blocking Reef Road beach is exposed by the steady tightening of the cincture encircling them. In a nod to the true crime that inspired it, Deborah Goodrich Royce’s REEF ROAD probes unhealed generational scars in a wrenching and original work of fiction. It is both stunning and sexy, and like a bystander surprised by a curtain left open, you won’t be able to look away.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Deborah Goodrich Royce.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

Click here for the discussion guide.

"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win Up to 12 Paperback Copies of
THE MAGNOLIA PALACE by Fiona Davis for Your Group

New Guide: THE NEW LIFE by Tom Crewe

THE NEW LIFE by Tom Crewe (Historical Fiction)
In the summer of 1894, John Addington and Henry Ellis begin writing a book arguing that what they call “inversion,” or homosexuality, is a natural, harmless variation of human sexuality. Though they have never met, John and Henry both live in London with their wives, Catherine and Edith, and in each marriage there is a third party: John has a lover, a working class man named Frank, and Edith spends almost as much time with her friend, Angelica, as she does with Henry. Shortly before the book is to be published, Oscar Wilde is arrested. John and Henry must decide whether to go on, risking social ostracism and imprisonment, or to give up the project for their own safety and the safety of the people they love.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: THE NIGHT TRAVELERS
by Armando Lucas Correa

THE NIGHT TRAVELERS by Armando Lucas Correa (Historical Fiction)
Berlin, 1931: Ally Keller, a talented young poet, gives birth to a mixed-race daughter she names Lilith. As the Nazis rise to power, she sets in motion a dangerous plan to send her daughter across the ocean to safety. Havana, 1958: Now an adult, Lilith has few memories of her mother or her childhood in Germany. But as the flames of revolution ignite, Lilith and her newborn daughter, Nadine, find themselves at a terrifying crossroads. Berlin, 1988: Nadine’s daughter, Luna, encourages her to uncover the truth about the choices her mother and grandmother made to ensure the survival of their children. And it will fall to Luna to come to terms with a shocking betrayal that changes everything she thought she knew about her family’s past.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide:
IN THE TIME OF OUR HISTORY by Susanne Pari
January’s Target Book Club Pick

IN THE TIME OF OUR HISTORY by Susanne Pari (Fiction)
Twelve months after her younger sister Anahita’s death, Mitra Jahani reluctantly returns to her parents’ home in suburban New Jersey to observe the Iranian custom of “The One Year.” While Ana bowed to their domineering father’s demands and married, Mitra rebelled and was banished. Caught in the middle is their mother, Shireen, torn between her fierce love for her surviving daughter and her loyalty to her husband. Yet his callousness even amid shattering loss has compelled her to rethink her own decades of submission. And when Mitra is suddenly forced to confront hard truths about her sister’s life, and the secrets each of them hid to protect others, mother and daughter reach a new understanding --- and forge an unexpected path forward.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's Target Book Club pick.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New January Releases of Interest to Book Groups

Below are a number of books that released in January for the first time (which we aren't currently featuring on the site or in the newsletter) that we think will be of interest to book groups.

CHILDREN OF THE STATE: Stories of Survival and Hope in the Juvenile Justice System by Jeff Hobbs (Biography/Social Science)
From the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE comes a timely, insightful and groundbreaking look at the school-to-prison pipeline and life in the juvenile “justice” system.

THE DELUGE by Stephen Markley (Dystopian Fiction)
From the bestselling author of OHIO comes a masterful American epic charting a near future approaching collapse and a nascent but strengthening solidarity.

THE FARAWAY WORLD: Stories by Patricia Engel (Fiction/Short Stories)
From Patricia Engel, whose novel INFINITE COUNTRY was a New York Times bestseller and a Reese’s Book Club pick, comes an exquisite collection of 10 haunting, award-winning short stories set across the Americas and linked by themes of migration, sacrifice and moral compromise.

INDEPENDENCE by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (Historical Fiction)
Set during the partition of British India in 1947, a time when neighbor was pitted against neighbor and families were torn apart, award-winning author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel brings to life the sweeping story of three sisters caught up in events beyond their control, their unbreakable bond and their incredible struggle against powerful odds.

JUST THE NICEST COUPLE by Mary Kubica (Domestic Thriller)
A husband’s disappearance links two couples in this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Mary Kubica.

THE LOVE YOU SAVE: A Memoir by Goldie Taylor (Memoir)
I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS meets EDUCATED in this harrowing, deeply hopeful memoir of family, faith and the power of books --- from acclaimed journalist and human rights activist Goldie Taylor.

MAAME by Jessica George (Fiction)
Smart, funny and deeply affecting, Jessica George's MAAME deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love and the life-saving power of friendship.

MOONRISE OVER NEW JESSUP by Jamila Minnicks (Historical Fiction)
This thought-provoking and enchanting debut is about a Black woman doing whatever it takes to protect all she loves at the beginning of the civil rights movement in Alabama.

RIVER SING ME HOME by Eleanor Shearer (Historical Fiction)
Rare. Moving. Powerful. This beautiful, page-turning and redemptive story of a mother’s gripping journey across the Caribbean to find her stolen children in the aftermath of slavery is a remarkable debut.

SMALL WORLD by Laura Zigman (Fiction)
From bestselling author Laura Zigman comes a heartfelt novel about two offbeat and newly divorced sisters who move in together as adults --- and finally reckon with their childhood.

THE SNOW HARE by Paula Lichtarowicz (Historical Fiction)
A woman dreams of becoming a doctor until World War II leads her instead into an astonishing love --- and a fateful choice.

UNRAVELING: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World's Ugliest Sweater by Peggy Orenstein (Memoir)
In this lively, funny memoir, Peggy Orenstein sets out to make a sweater from scratch --- shearing, spinning, dyeing wool --- and in the process discovers how we find our deepest selves through craft. Orenstein spins a yarn that will appeal to everyone.

WITHOUT A TRACE by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
What would happen if you were given a chance to walk away from everything in your life and start over with a blank slate, and you had a split second to decide? In WITHOUT A TRACE, Danielle Steel tells an irresistible story of the risks two people are willing to take in exchange for a chance at the life they’ve always wanted.

ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 11 ½ Annual Book Group
Speed Dating Event: Great Books for Book Groups

On November 18th, ReadingGroupGuides.com hosted its 11 ½ Annual Book Group Speed Dating event for booksellers, librarians, book club leaders and bloggers. Nine small, medium and large-sized publishers shared their November 2022 through May 2023 recommendations for book groups --- more than 50 books perfect for discussing!

You can watch the entire presentation here. The video is timestamped, so if you would like to jump ahead to a specific publisher, be sure to use the links below.

Hachette Book Group • Harlequin Trade Publishing • Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group • Random House Publishing Group • Simon & Schuster • Soho Press • Sourcebooks •
William Morrow • W. W. Norton

If you would like to know more about these titles, here is a link to a page with a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation, as well as an Excel spreadsheet that lists the books both by publisher and alphabetically by title, along with a sheet to take notes.

Click here to watch our 11 ½ Annual Book Group Speed Dating event.

Bookreporter.com's Eighth Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature

At Bookreporter.com, we are kicking off 2023 with our eighth annual Winter Reading Contests and Feature. On select days in January and February, we are hosting a series of 24-hour contests spotlighting a book releasing this winter and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.

This year's contest titles are:

• CLYTEMNESTRA by Costanza Casati
• EXILES by Jane Harper
• IT'S ONE OF US by J.T. Ellison
• REEF ROAD by Deborah Goodrich Royce

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

From left to right: Hank Phillippi Ryan, Jojo Moyes, Pam Jenoff

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

As many book and author events are still happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.

Every Monday night at 7:30pm ET: “Lisa Live!”: Join Lisa Scottoline every Monday night as she hosts her weekly “Talking LOYALTY” video series and Facebook Live events leading up to the publication of her historical novel, LOYALTY, on March 28th. And be sure to enter the LOYALTY Pre-order Sweepstakes!

Monday, January 30th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Jane Harper will talk to Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello about her new novel, EXILES. This captivating mystery is about a missing mother and marks the return of Australian federal agent Aaron Falk.

Wednesday, February 1st at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry --- will talk to Pam Jenoff about her new historical novel, CODE NAME SAPPHIRE, a riveting tale of bravery and resistance.

Thursday, February 2nd at 6:30pm ET: Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews: Join Epilogue for a virtual conversation between Patricia Engel and Lauren LeBlanc to celebrate the release of Engel’s new book of short stories, THE FARAWAY WORLD.

Friday, February 3rd at 5pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Hank Phillippi Ryan will talk about her latest novel, THE HOUSE GUEST, a diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller. But which character is the cat, and which character is the mouse?

Tuesday, February 7th at 11:30am ET: The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center: The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center welcomes Pam Jenoff, who will be in conversation with Christina Baker Kline about her latest book, CODE NAME SAPPHIRE.

Tuesday, February 7th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Parini Shroff for a live book club event to discuss THE BANDIT QUEENS, January's B&N Book Club pick. She will be in conversation with Shannon DeVito, the Director of Category Management at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director.

Tuesday, February 7th at 5pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Jojo Moyes for a live, virtual event to discuss her new novel, SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES, as part of the B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Moyes will be in conversation with bestselling author Jodi Picoult.

Wednesday, February 8th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between February 7th and February 28th, along with a few from March and April, that she would like to get on your radar.

Wednesday, February 8th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Elinor Lipman about her latest novel, MS. DEMEANOR. Appearing on the Aftershow will be Nina de Gramont, the author of THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR.

Thursday, February 9th at 6pm ET: [words] Bookstore: Priscilla Gilman will be in conversation with bestselling author Nick Hornby about her memoir, THE CRITIC'S DAUGHTER, an exquisitely rendered portrait of her relationship with her father, writer and theater critic Richard Gilman.

Saturday, February 11th at 12:30pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick’s will host Jojo Moyes as she discusses her new book, SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES, with Laura Dave. Full of  Moyes’ signature humor, brilliant storytelling and warmth, this is a story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances.

"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts

“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)

Here are our latest interviews:

• Allegra Goodman (SAM) Video | Podcast
• Deborah Goodrich Royce (REEF ROAD) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Julie Clark (THE LIES I TELL) Video | Podcast
• Alli Frank and Asha Youmans (NEVER MEANT TO MEET YOU) Video | Podcast
• Bonnie Garmus (LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY) Video | Podcast
• Jamie Fiore Higgins (BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs) Video | Podcast
• Jennifer Hillier (THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK) Video | Podcast
• Sally Koslow (THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS) Video | Podcast
• Lynda Cohen Loigman (THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT) Video | Podcast
• Clare Mackintosh (THE LAST PARTY) Video | Podcast
• Meg Mitchell Moore (VACATIONLAND) Video | Podcast
• Chris Pavone (TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON) Video | Podcast
• Tom Perrotta (TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN) Video | Podcast
• Katie Runde (THE SHORE) Video | Podcast
• Dani Shapiro (SIGNAL FIRES) Video | Podcast
• Casey Sherman (HELLTOWN: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod)
  Video | Podcast
• Thrity Umrigar (HONOR) Video | Podcast

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

Our Latest Guides

We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

AGE OF VICE by Deepti Kapoor (Thriller)
Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, transporting readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, AGE OF VICE is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance and the consequences of corruption.

THE BANDIT QUEENS by Parini Shroff (Fiction)
A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful --- until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands --- in this razor-sharp debut.

THE BLACKHOUSE by Carole Johnstone (Gothic Thriller)
From the author of MIRRORLAND comes a richly atmospheric thriller set on an isolated Scottish island where nothing is as it seems and shocking twists lie around every corner.

THE HOUSE IN THE PINES by Ana Reyes (Psychological Thriller)
Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death and has since spent her life trying to forget sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed.

IN THE TIME OF OUR HISTORY by Susanne Pari (Fiction)
Inspired by her own family’s experiences following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Susanne Pari explores the entangled lives within an Iranian American family grappling with generational culture clashes, the roles imposed on women, and a tragic accident that forces them to reconcile their guilt or forfeit their already tenuous bonds.

THE MAGNOLIA PALACE by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
Fiona Davis, the New York Times bestselling author of THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal and murder within one of New York City's most impressive Gilded Age mansions.

THE MITFORD AFFAIR by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict comes an explosive novel of history's most notorious sisters, one of whom will have to choose: her country or her sisters?

THE NEW LIFE by Tom Crewe (Historical Fiction)
In the tradition of Alan Hollinghurst and Colm Tóibín, this brilliant and captivating debut novel is about two marriages, two forbidden love affairs, and the passionate search for social and sexual freedom in late-19th-century London.

THE NIGHT TRAVELERS by Armando Lucas Correa (Historical Fiction)
Four generations of women experience love, loss, war and hope from the rise of Nazism to the Cuban Revolution and, finally, the fall of the Berlin Wall in this sweeping novel from the bestselling author of THE GERMAN GIRL.

REEF ROAD by Deborah Goodrich Royce (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
When a severed hand washes ashore in the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach, Florida, the lives of two women --- a lonely writer obsessed with the unsolved murder of her mother’s best friend and a panicked wife whose husband has disappeared with their children --- collide as the world shutters in the pandemic lockdown of 2020.

SAM by Allegra Goodman (Fiction)
What happens to a girl’s sense of joy and belonging --- to her belief in herself --- as she becomes a woman? This unforgettable portrait of coming-of-age offers subtle yet powerful reflections on class, parenthood, addiction, lust and the irrepressible power of dreams.

THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins (Gothic Thriller)
From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

THE LOVE OF MY LIFE by Rosie Walsh (Mystery/Thriller)
From the New York Times bestselling author of GHOSTED comes a love story wrapped in a mystery --- an up-all-night page-turner with a dark secret at its core.

SHADOWS OF BERLIN by David R. Gillham (Historical Fiction)
SHADOWS OF BERLIN is David R. Gillham's captivating novel of a Berlin girl on the run from the guilt of her past and the boy from Brooklyn who loves her.

VIOLETA by Isabel Allende (Historical Fiction)
This sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle, a woman whose life spans 100 years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the 20th century.

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