The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

At the age of 85, Addie Baum relates her life story to her granddaughter. The tale begins in 1915 at the pivotal point when Addie, just 15 years old, joins a weekly library group, and her narrow, conservative world is opened up to different cultures and social classes with help from her newfound group of friends. Addie recounts her vacations to a nearby seaside town, her troubling first love, tragedies and celebrations with her family and friends, and her varying array of jobs until she finds her true calling. After numerous excursions and experiences throughout the city, Addie can finally consider herself a true "Boston Girl."

The humorous anecdotes, embarrassing naïveté, and little pearls of wisdom pull you in, making you believe grandma Addie is real and that she is right in front of you telling her story. Those who enjoyed Anita Diamant's, The Red Tent, will not be disappointed by this engaging and historically rich novel.

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

This story begins with an Australian rare book conservator, Hanna Heath, in Sarajevo to consult and research a centuries-old Haggadah, a Jewish prayer book. The continuing story then alternates back and forth from the current perspective of Hanna and her life to the historical perspectives of people whose lives have been touched by the prayer book in some way. In episodic flashbacks that move further and further back in time, the reader learns more about the lives of the individuals involved with the book and the tragic events in history that helped augment this rare illuminated manuscript, culminating with the story of the book's creation.

Although People of the Book almost feels like a collection of short stories, Brooks creates separate worlds, time periods, and deep character development in just a few short pages. She also manages to tie all the separate historical stories together by consistently returning to present day Hanna's narrative and her progressing research and discoveries, which then prompt a related historical tale about the Haggadah.

I would highly recommend this title for those who enjoy historical fiction and for book lovers in general. One of Geraldine Brooks' other novels, March, won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize For Fiction.

Good Talk, Dad by Bill and Willie Geist

If you have ever flipped on one of the CBS evening news or Sunday morning broadcasts over the last 25 years, then you most likely have watched a segment reported by Bill Geist. Today, his son Willie follows in his dad’s footsteps reporting the news on NBC. Their book, Good Talk, Dad, is a mostly humorous collection of stories in which they retell the tales of the big events in their lives from sports to children to military service. While not always a laugh out loud experience, Good Talk, Dad nevertheless offers a peek into the lives of the Geist men in a manner that reflects how Bill Geist has been reporting the news over his long career: with humor whenever possible but also with honesty and integrity.

I listened to this book on audio, read by the authors, and would recommend it to those who want to hear (or read) something light and easy. Even those who are unfamiliar with the Geists will be able to appreciate the stories they share as they discuss life events that we can all relate to.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand

Seabiscuit is not just a horse, not in the hands of the author, Laura Hillenbrand, who manages to capture the despair of the depression era, and how horse racing and Seabiscuit became one of the main diversions for the public from their troubles. Seabiscuit, frequently an underdog, became a symbol of determination and heart for the masses, a symbol embodying a never-give-up attitude.

But the book is about more than Seabiscuit. Readers also learn about the ups and downs of the men who surrounded this amazing animal. About Charles Howard and his rags to riches story from when he was simply a bicycle mechanic who eventually became an automobile magnate. About Red Pollard, separated from his family at a young age, wandering the states trying to make money to send home from his boxing and racing horses. And about Tom Smith, an old-fashioned cowboy turned trainer, whose unconventional training methods worked wonders on an unconventional horse.

Hillenbrand manages to keep a breathtaking pace throughout the book, and the amount of research she has conducted is evident in the details. The story is so engaging and exciting; it is easy to mistake this tale for fiction. This is a fantastic read for those who are new to nonfiction but will also raise the bar for veteran nonfiction readers. Additionally, there are documentaries and a feature film based on the book, all titled Seabiscuit.

Alex + Ada: Volume 1 by Jonathan Luna

In a future world where robots provide humans companionship and labor (think the Jetsons' robot maid Rosie built to be indistinguishable from a real human), Alex receives a robot, Ada, as a gift from his grandmother. Alex is unhappy that Ada cannot think or make many decisions for herself. For a time, robots were made with a conscious mind until there was a robot rebellion with many human casualties. From then on, robots were reprogrammed to obey commands. The story continues with Alex finding a way to make Ada sentient, even though the process is illegal and has dire consequences if either Alex or Ada is found out. The flow of the book is seamless, and by the end, after Ada experiences her first sunrise with a fully functioning mind, readers will want to know what happens to Alex and Ada next.

I certainly can't wait for the next volume. This is a fantastic new science fiction series that is well-written and beautifully illustrated.

The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

Get into the holiday spirit with The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson. It’s a light, easy, and fast read that tells the story of a new shop opening up in the small town of Parrish Springs. Residents are worried that this shop, which has the all appearances of a rundown thrift shop, will hurt other local businesses and detract from the downtown area. The shop owner, a newcomer to town, makes no attempt to fit in; nor does she go out of her way to win the towns’ people over to her side. However, what the shop really has to offer will change the hearts of those who take a chance and browse the shelves.

Per Library Journal, “this heartwarming story should appeal to fans of Richard Paul Evans and Jan Karon.”

The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig

Earlier this year, Wes Anderson could be heard discussing the life of Stefan Zweig (1881-1942), whose literary works helped shape the storyline of Anderson's movie The Grand Budapest Hotel.  Whether you see Zweig's influence or not, Anderson did a great service in promoting a long neglected writer.  In his time, Zweig was a widely read and popular author with an international following.  An Austrian-Jew, European culture was the center of his world, a world that collapsed with the rise of Nazi-socialism.  Zweig fled to London, then New York, and finally to Brazil where he committed suicide.  His posthumous autobiography, The World of Yesterday, was published in English in 1943.  It's a book in which Zweig holds a mirror to the past, recounting a changing society, remembering friendships from Herzl to Freud, and sharing, with nostalgia and grace, a world lost forever.  Europe's fate, and his own, is inescapable and suggested in the closing paragraph:  "Homeward bound I suddenly noticed before me my own shadow as I had seen the shadow of the other war behind the actual one.  During all this time it has never budged from me, that irrevocable shadow..."

For anyone interested in the life and legacy of Stefan Zweig, there is no better place to start than The World of Yesterday.  Then read the novellas, the short stories, the biographies and the essays of Stefan Zweig.  More and more of them are being republished as readers rediscover one of the most universally admired writers of the early 20th-century.

Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

When Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall was published in 2009, it won the Mann Booker Prize.  When the sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, was published in 2012, it also won the Mann Booker Prize.  The final issue of the projected trilogy, The Mirror and the Light, is scheduled to be published in early 2015.  There is great anticipation - and expectation - for any book to follow such acclaimed predecessors.

The subject of this trilogy, which is biographical fiction, is Thomas Cromwell, a minister to King Henry VIII.  Cromwell rose from humble origins to become the right-hand man to Cardinal Wolsey and then succeeded Wolsey as the king's most powerful minister (1532-1540).  In the shark-infested waters of the English court, Cromwell is never

allowed to forget that he was born the son of a blacksmith.  But with pragmatism, intelligence and talent he manages to navigate through the turmoil of his time:  a king's divorce, a king's marriage, a queen's beheading, the Reformation.

As one who prefers biography to historical fiction, I found Mantel's novels to be an extraordinary achievement - a total immersion in 16th-century England with an exacting knowledge of personalities and conflicts.  The bonus here is the level of writing, writing to be read again, read aloud, read to be shared.

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances by Matthew Inman

Inman uses his self-deprecating humor in a perfect way, turning what could be an uninteresting topic for non-runners into a humorous, enjoyable story for everyone. For those who also run, there will be many moments where you will find yourself laughing out loud, agreeing, "Yes! He's so right." Plus, the tale of the giant Japanese hornets is worth reading all by itself. The graphics and coloring are simple but vibrant, and there is no confusion figuring out the flow of the text and pictures.

This is a great graphic novel for those who are new to the format. As a hilarious sports memoir, it is highly recommended for adults and teens alike.

China Dolls by Lisa See

Taking place in San Francisco during the years leading up to and during World War II, two hopeful Chinese women and one pragmatic Japanese woman passing as Chinese take jobs as dancing girls. Jealousy and betrayal abound as these women compete with and against one another for the top showbiz spotlights. After years in this stressful environment, the characters become jaded and have periods of boredom despite their glitzy surroundings. Eventually, it comes to light that one of the women is Japanese, and she is taken away to an internment camp to wait out the war. But who betrayed her?

This is a great historical read for highlighting the raging showbiz leading up to and during WWII as well as the Japanese internment camps. Take a look at more books by Lisa See.

Legends of Red Sonja by Gail Simone and others

Simone creates a genius overarching plot for this collection of stories, where men in pursuit of Red Sonja come across various characters, who regale the hunters with their own experiences of the red-haired heroine, or in some stories, villain. These diverse tales create the perfect setup for the differing voices and impressions of Red Sonja readers will see from multiple writers. The individual stories vary from cringe-worthy ridiculous to the truly wonderful, and naturally, the artwork differs just as much. Novice readers of Red Sonja will not be left behind as this collection relays Red Sonja's supposed origins and history.

But what I really love is that Simone was able to hand pick female talent to tell the tales of this legendary woman. Check out all of Simone's Red Sonja series.

Superman/Wonder Woman: Power Couple by Charles Soule

Soule does a fantastic job of weaving in the story and plot from both Geoff Johns' Justice League and Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman into a new storyline focusing on the relationship issues of the appropriately named "Power Couple." Readers new to these characters might find some segments a bit jarring without having first read the Justice League series by Johns, but fans of any of the Justice League characters should be just fine. Soule's take on the take-charge Diana, who rightfully thinks of herself as a goddess and refreshingly has no self-confidence issues when it comes to men, is long past due. Even Superman has more appeal than his usual goodie-goodie, small-town farm boy persona generates. This pairing of Superman and Wonder Woman is perfectly suited for the restart of the DC Universe and is an invigorating change from the usual Superman and Lois Lane match - even if this "Power Couple" doesn't last. The artwork by Daniels is superb as always and makes this tale near perfect.

Ultimately, this is a fun, romantic twist on the traditional superhero fare. But don't worry, there's still plenty of epic action scenes to satisfy all superhero fans.