Ghost on Black Mountain by Ann Hite, reviewed by Lisa H

Ghost on Black Mountain is a novel containing several different mini-novels.  The first half of the book is focused on "Nellie" and her abusive relationship with her husband "Hobbs".  The second half of the book is wrapped around Nellie and 4 other woman whose lives all intertwine with each other.  Black Mountain is a mysterious and eerie place surrounded by ghosts.  When Nellie marries Hobbs and moves to the Mountain, everyone tells her to move away as fast as she can, but Nellie won't listen.  Horrible events start to happen and ghosts appear to tell Nellie that her life will soon be over if she doesn't leave.  By the time she figures everything out, it is too late.  This is not a scary book, but it is wonderfully written and a true page turner.  It is a vivid look into the beauty and folklore of the Appalachian landscape.

WonderStruck by Brian Selznick

   There is a display in our library of a new book called WonderStruck.  Even though it is in the juvenile section, the display caught my eye.  Enough so, that I had to read the book.  I am so glad I did.  It is two stories intertwined with each other.  One story told in pictures and one story told in words.  It is set fifty years apart and it is absolutely beautiful. One story is based around a young girl named Rose, who is desperately trying to find a certain actress and one story that is based on Ben who is trying to find his father.  The adventures and circumstances surrounding these two characters is amazing and the end of the story will leave you cheering for more.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton reviewed by Lisa H

Sister by Rosamund Lupton is not my usual kind of book, so I was a little apprehensive about reading it.  Once I got started I could not put it down.  It is a mystery, set in England, surrrounding 2 sisters.  Parts of the book are written in letter form from one sister to another, which is not my favorite style of reading.  Nevertheless, the book is captivating from beginning to ending.  It is the story of a woman who is determined to find the murderer of her sister. The story flashes back to their past and reveals beautiful memories as well as heartbreaking pain.  The characters are fascinating and designed to always leave you guessing. 

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond reviewed by Judith Cosgray

This is the true story of blogger and cookbook author Ree Drummond's whirlwind life and romance with her very own cowboy whom she affectionately calls "Marlboro Man". I am not one for a romance but I love her blog (www.thepioneerwoman.com) and her cookbooks are excellent. So I gave the story a chance and it worked its magic. Her life story has as much twists and turns as any great work of fiction, but in the same tone you realize she is no different than the rest of us. Her life took some unexpected turns, resulting in meeting the man of her dreams - a rancher from Oklahoma instead of a hot shot businessman in Chicago. I thoroughly enjoyed this biography - check it out.

Shadow of a Quarter Moon by Eileen Clymer Schwab reviewed by Lisa H.

  Shadow of a Quarter Moon is a historical fiction novel set in North Carolina in the 1830's.  It revolves around the life of a plantation owners daughter named Jacy.  Jacy leads a privleged life until her father dies unexpectly and leaves her alone with her mother.  Jacy is expected, by her mother, to marry a man she does not love.  Many secrets come out about Jacys life in the course of feuding with her mother.  Her whole identity is gone.  She decides to take matters into her own hands and run away.  While her journey to the north is very difficult, along the way she finds herself.  The individuals she meets on her journey are amazing and heartbreaking.  The risks that are taken and trust that is never broken makes this a wonderful read.

The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison reviewed by Lisa H

This fictional novel is set in England during World War II. It revolves around a little girl who is forced to evacuate her home and travel to an unknown destination for safety by herself.  She arrives by train at Ashton Park with about 80 other children.  At first, I was afraid to read anymore of this book, fearing some horrible abuse or torture. I was pleasantly surprised to find beautiful love stories entertwined with the pains of war.  It is a well written and lovely story.  While not everything turns out the way you hope, it keeps you turning the pages quickly. 

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler reviewed by Lisa H

Kindred is a historical/science fictional novel set in 1976.  Its main character is an african american woman named Dana, who is married to a white man.  Dana, however, develops the gift of time traveling.  There is a major problem with this gift, as she travels back in time to her ancestors slave plantation.  She is "summoned" to the plantation whenever the owner is in danger and can not return to the present unless she is in danger herself.  The lessons that Dana learns and the ancestors that she meets are priceless.  You can only imagine going back in time to a place where you were treated like property and trying to fit in and follow the rules.  The novel is wonderfully written and keeps you interested and hoping for the best.