The Outlander

The Outlander
By Gil Adamson

The Outlander begins with the mysterious widow, Mary Boulton, running; running from her past and the two men who are relentlessly chasing her. The reader is brought along with Mary as she flees through the mountains of Alberta, Canada. As she is ill-prepared to be on her own in the wild, each day is a test, but she proves to be tough and resourceful and manages to evade her pursuers. On her journey she meets many quirky and interesting people who help her on her way.

The writing of Gil Adamson is superb, and her story is suspenseful and complex. This book is wonderful!

- Kathy S.

Kissing Christmas Goodbye

Kissing Christmas Goodbye
By M. C. Beaton

Agatha Raisin is a private investigator who owns her own detective agency in the Cotswolds of England. The only joy in her life is the anticipation of her upcoming Christmas festival and hopeful reunion with her ex-husband, James Lacey.

Excitement begins when a wealthy widow hires Agatha because she is afraid a member of her own family is about to murder her. Her premonition comes true and she drops dead after high tea is served at her manor with her family in attendance.

Follow Agatha and her teenage detective trainee, Toni, as they uncover clues in and around the quaint and sleepy village of Gloucestershire. Will they solve this murder in time to finish planning her Christmas party? Read on and find out!

- Ann

Sundays at Tiffany's

Sundays at Tiffany’s
by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

Growing up, Jane Margaux was a very lonely little girl. Her mother was a powerful Broadway producer with very little time for Jane except for their Sunday trips to Tiffany’s to admire the jewelry. To help her during this lonely time is her handsome, comforting and funny imaginary friend, Michael. On Jane’s ninth birthday, he leaves, explaining that other children need his help and that Jane will soon forget him.

Several years later Jane is a successful playwright but is still lonely when she meets a handsome, comforting, funny man – Michael. She still remembered him. How could that be?

This is a story of the importance of giving and receiving love, and the transforming effect it has on a person’s life.

- Pat

Cranford

Cranford
DVD-TV Series
(starring Judi Dench)

This is a delightful BBC series about Cranford, a small village in England in 1842. The story revolves around two spinster sisters and how their lives are entwined with those of the village. Of course, there is always the town gossip or someone causing problems.

Cranford is adapted the works of Elizabeth Gaskell and I thought it was as enjoyable as Jane Austen’s stories.

- Rose

Dragon's Keep

Dragon’s Keep
by Janet Lee Carey

In this young adult novel, Princess Rosalind of Wilde Island, where her royal family was exiled 600 years before the reign of Henry II, is born with a dragon claw on the ring finger of her left hand. Her mother ruthlessly protects her by keeping this deformity secret. Through a series of events, Rosalind is captured by a dragon king and becomes the slave "Briar," whose job it is to take care of the pips (baby dragons). She comes to understand life from the dragons’ point of view before taking her rightful place as queen of Wilde Island.

- Linda

Charlie Wilson's War

Charlie Wilson's War
(Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman)

Charlie Wilson's War is based on the story of how America became involved in the war between Afghanistan and Russia. Three important Americans played a significant role in this covert operation: Charles Wilson, a Congressman from Texas; Joanne Herring, a rich socialite; and CIA agent, Gust. The bonus features are just as fascinating as the movie, especially "Who is Charlie Wilson?". This feature gives a little insight as to the real Charlie Wilson and shows film clips of his trips to Afghanistan, including personal interviews.

- Rose

Twenty Wishes

Twenty Wishes
By Debbie Macomber

A sweet story about a group of widows who feel their lives are low on hope and direction. They decide to each make a list of twenty things they’ve always wanted to do. Some wishes are fulfilled in unexpected ways. A fun book to read.

- Dixie

Escape

Escape
by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer

This is definitely a haunting story of one woman's life within the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, a polygamist sect. From Carolyn Jessop's arranged marriage to a much older man, through her trying to cope with life in an abusive home environment with 5 other wives and many, many children, to her daring and dangerous escape from the church community, this is a book I couldn't put down. It does have some graphic descriptions of violence, psychological and sexual abuse and may not be for those of more "delicate sensibilities”.

- Linda

Half the Perfect World

Half the Perfect World
by Madeleine Peyroux
(music cd)

Madeleine Peyroux is close to hip perfection. Born in the US but raised in Paris, she combines the best of both worlds in her singing style. Even though the songs are mostly contemporary, they sound as through they are being sung in Paris cafe about 40 years ago.

Her rendition of Tom Waits' "Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night" is sultry heaven. "Everybody's Talking" is better than the Harry Nilsson original. This album would be appropriate with wine & cheese on a warm summer night.

- Holly

The Sorta Sisters

The Sorta Sisters
by Adrian Fogelin

This is a story written for "tweens" and enjoyable by all ages. Two young girls, both smart and both misfits at school, have never met each other but become pen pals. Anna, a 12-year-old foster child, lives in Tallahassee with a wonderful foster mother and Mica, age 11, lives on a beat-up boat with her marine-biologist father whom she adores but who can't properly care for her. Through their correspondence, the reader learns about the girls' lives, interests, fears and successes. A great read with the bonus of terrific illustrations of Florida sea life and plant life as both girls share their lives with each other.
- Linda

The Hollow

The Hollow (Sign of Seven Series #2)
by Nora Roberts

The fight against an ancient evil continues in The Hollow. Paranormal romance readers will enjoy this book.

- Rochelle

So Brave, Young, and Handsome

So Brave, Young, and Handsome
by Leif Enger

Monte Becket is a man with an enviable life. He is the author of a bestselling novel and has a loving, supportive family. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts he is unable to finish another book and therefore has lost his sense of purpose.

Monte befriends a neighbor, Glendon Hale, and agrees to travel with him to California. So begins a road trip to end all road trips. They travel the West together in search of the new path their lives will follow. The reader is lured into Monte's journey just as passionately as the character himself, making it a tale worth reading.

- Kathy S.