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1. THE
SPACE BETWEEN US: A Novel
By Thrity Umrigar
"Compassionately written, this tale of caste and one's place in society
in India is both heartbreaking and inspiring. One event in the lives of
two families -- one rich, one poor -- sets in motion devastating results
for both. Thrity Umrigar has crafted a true gem." --Sherri Gallentine,
Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
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A
STRONG WEST WIND: A Memoir
By Gail Caldwell
"Despite that Gail Caldwell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic for
the Boston Globe, fled her home state of Texas over 30 years ago,
Texas is still with her. Her memoir tells of the '50s and '60s, and how
Caldwell, a victim of infant polio, a shy girl in glasses, found her way
through her passionate love of reading. This is a memoir the postwar generation
will read and nod at knowingly." --Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Bookstore,
Denver, CO
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STRIVERS
ROW: A Novel
By Kevin Baker
"This riveting novel evokes the color and atmosphere of 1940s Harlem with
a cast of characters that includes a young man later to become Malcolm
X. As with the best historical novels, Baker beautifully recreates the
era, from the seaminess of its dives to the religious and political turmoil
of the wartime period. This book transcends the label 'historical fiction'
-- it is, simply, great literature." --Matthew Lage, Iowa Book, Iowa
City, IA
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FRANGIPANI:
A Novel
By Celestine Hitiura Vaite
"This sentimental story of a mother's love for her challenging daughter,
set in Tahiti and told with spirit and humor, is sure to be a favorite
among reading groups." --Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos,
MI
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LOVE
AND OTHER IMPOSSIBLE PURSUITS: A Novel
By Ayelet Waldman
"In Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, Ayelet Waldman has created
a very real and human character in Emilia, and she gives readers the gift
of experiencing Emilia's grief, pain, and the conflicts she encounters
as she deals with the loss of her infant daughter. This incredible novel
shows us what happens when you are forced to wake up from a daydream and
try to live in the harsh light of reality and daily life." --Kathleen
Caldwell, A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland, CA
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A
FAMILY DAUGHTER: A Novel
By Maile Meloy
"Readers of Meloy's Liars and Saints will be delighted, and those
not familiar with her finely-crafted writing will have a double treat
as she brings the Santerre family back in her new novel. Abby is a daughter
who discovers that affairs, secrets, death, and extended family reveal,
define, and explain the feelings associated with home." --Barbara Theroux,
Fact & Fiction, Missoula, MT
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THE
KINDNESS OF STRANGERS: A Novel
By Katrina Kittle
"The Kindness of Strangers grabs hold of you from the first page
and won't let go. While dealing with difficult issues, Katrina Kittle
draws you into the struggles of Sarah Laden, a young widow and mother
of two, and helps you discover the power of love. Definitely not a novel
to be missed!" --Sonya Brooks, Reader's Choice Bookstore, Centerville,
OH
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WHALE
SEASON: A Novel
By N.M. Kelby
"I'm trying so hard not to say something like 'this is a whale of a story,'
but it's so dang tough, especially with a campy, funny, and smart story
like this, although it's not without its serious moments. This story of
the arrival in Whale Harbor, Florida, of a man who thinks he's Jesus reads
like a cross between Carl Hiaasen and Flannery O'Connor." --Lyn Roberts,
Square Books, Oxford, MS
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THE THRALL'S TALE
By Judith Lindbergh
"This gritty, epic tale set in Viking Greenland will thrill any fan of
historical fiction. The theme of good versus evil looms large." --Laura
Huemer, Goldfinch Books, Maplewood, NJ
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CARVED
IN BONE: A Body Farm Novel
By Jefferson Bass
"The 'Body Farm' is a section of ground on the campus of the University
of Tennessee where human corpses are left to decay for the sake of science
and the cause of justice, and Carved in Bone goes into the detail of forensic
science to help solve the murder of a young woman. This is a great story
that really holds your interest." --Donna Thoman, Family Book Shop,
Deland, FL
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THE
GHOST ORCHID: A Novel
By Carol Goodman
"Half ghost story, half historical novel, The Ghost Orchard tells
the story of a series of tragic events at a storied artists' retreat,
and it features an eccentric group of artists and writers. There are mediums
and tricksters and mischievous children that just won't rest in peace.
This is a perfect book to curl up with on a dark and stormy night." --Terry
Lucas, The Open Book, West Hampton Beach, NY
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SHE
GOT UP OFF THE COUCH: And Other Heroic Acts From Mooreland, Indiana
By Haven Kimmel
"Zippy is back and she's more charming than ever! The quirky Jarvis family
of Mooreland, Indiana, is forever changed when Zippy's mom, Delonda, applies
for college, buys an ancient VW Beetle, and drives away into her future.
As poignant as it is funny, this book will delight you." --Molly Beck,
Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
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SKINNER'S
DRIFT: A Novel
By Lisa Fugard
"After 10 years of self-imposed exile, Eva is returning to Skinner's Drift,
her former home in South Africa, to visit her dying father, with whom
she has a very turbulent and complicated relationship. Told from the point
of view of many of the characters, secrets and terrors within the family
and the country slowly reveal themselves in this atmospheric work." --Carol
Stoltz, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA
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RATTLED:
A Novel
By Debra Galant
"I enjoyed Rattled from beginning to end -- from Heather, the suburban
wife, who wants everything (including being class mom), to Harlan, the
organic egg farmer, to Agnes, the protector of the endangered New Jersey
rattlesnake. It's clever, suspenseful, funny, and, in the end, touching."
--Pat Carstenen, Bear Pond Books of Montpelier, Montpelier, VT
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WHITE GHOST GIRLS
By Alice Greenway
"White Ghost Girls is the story of Frankie and Kate, two American
sisters, the daughters of a photojournalist who is covering the Vietnam
War. Living with their mother in Hong Kong, they watch not only the war
unfold in Vietnam, but, also, the Maoist Cultural Revolution. Greenway's
descriptions of places, of feelings and emotions, of all family members
are captivating." --Susan Weaver, Broad Street Books, Portsmouth, VA
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HOLMES
ON THE RANGE: A Mystery
By Steve Hockensmith
"I wasn't sure whether a cowboy detective novel was going to work for
me, but I'm mighty glad I began Holmes on the Range. Hockensmith's
first novel, about a pair of cowboy sleuths inspired by Sherlock Holmes,
is smart and funny, with engaging characters and snappy dialogue. Oh,
and the plot's pretty darn good, too." --Billie Bloebaum, Powell's
Books at PDX, Portland, OR
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EVERYTHING
I'M CRACKED UP TO BE: A Rock & Roll Fairy Tale
By Jen Trynin
"Jen Trynin's memoir about her rock and roll ups and downs has it
all -- love, sex, sleaze, and glamour. She chronicles her journey from
the Next Big Thing to has-been with a refreshing lack of self-pity and
plenty of offbeat asides that poke holes in inflated egos. Kudos to Jen
for making it through with her soul intact and with a hell of a story
to tell!" --Susan Taylor, Wellesley Booksmith, Wellesley, MA
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PURSUIT:
An Inspector Espinosa Mystery
By Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza
"Inspector Espinosa knows Rio de Janeiro from the top down. In this mystery,
he searches for the missing daughter of a troubled psychiatrist. The middle-class
Rio of apartments, corrupt police, and kidnapping fears is a vibrant backdrop
to a gripping story." --Mary Muller, Market Block Books, Troy, NY
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THE
NIGHT JOURNAL: A Novel
By Elizabeth Crook
"By weaving the tracks of the railroad during its expansion in the West
through the story, Crook exquisitely brings together the risk takers involved
in settling Northeastern New Mexico, whether born into the Spanish families
or having ventured from the East. Secrets and passions and family legacies
fulfilled and betrayed make for a saga spanning generations. A great novel
to warm up with on a cold winter night." --Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books,
Wichita, KS
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WASHINGTON'S CROSSING
By David Hackett Fischer
"This is a fascinating account by one of our most respected historians
of the Christmas night crossing of the Delaware River to surprise the
British troops at Trenton, New Jersey. A volume in Oxford University Press'
Pivotal Moments in American History series, it won the Pulitzer
Prize for history in 2005." --Carole Horne, Harvard Book Store, Cambridge,
MA
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