Previews, Reviews, and Collection Development
By Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, LLC, Atlanta In a year where two ebook romances won the Romance Writers of America RITA Awards in head-to-head (maybe that should be heart-to-heart) competition against print titles, 2012 was an even better year for ebook romance. And with more to choose, there are even more to love. Choosing five, [...]
Bates, Erin. Her Amish Man. Gallery: S. & S. ISBN 9781451662092. pap. $15; eISBN 9781451662108. A young woman on the run rediscovers her Amish maternal roots and finds love. Bates blends romance and suspense in this fresh take on an overcrowded genre. (LJ 11/15/12) Byrd, Sandra. The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr. Howard [...]
Gentle, Mary. The Black Opera. Night Shade. ISBN 9781597802192. pap. $15.95; eISBN 9781597804158. A pair of librettists pit their musical talents against each other in a magical duel that will either save or destroy the world in an alternate 19th-century Naples. Attention to period detail and an understanding of opera make this a one-of-a-kind historical [...]
Bechdel, Alison. Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama. Houghton Harcourt. ISBN 9780618982509. $22. Using literature and psychoanalysis as twin lenses, Bechdel examines her own and her mother’s interwoven lives in a complex, almost dizzying tour de force of storytelling. More than matching her acclaimed Fun Home for its blend of drama, poignancy, and humor, [...]
K’wan. Animal. Cash Money Content, dist. by Atria: S. & S. ISBN 9781936399253. pap. $14.99; eISBN 9781936399260. Given their author’s unmatched ear for street talk and talent for bringing gritty characters to life, K’wan’s “Hood Rat” stories make up one of the best series in urban fiction. His latest plot will draw readers into an [...]
By Karen Core Fay, Juliette. The Shortest Way Home. Penguin. ISBN 9780143121916. pap. $15; eISBN 9781101603666. Sean has traveled the world for 20 years caring for others as a nurse, until he is called home to Massachusetts where his family is in crisis. Fay’s third novel offers a poignant look at what happens when a [...]
By Jane Henrickson Baird Anton, Maggie. Rav Hisda’s Daughter, Bk. 1: Apprentice: A Novel of Love, the Talmud, and Sorcery. Plume: Penguin Group (USA). ISBN 9780452298095. pap. $16; eISBN 9781101603451. Complex discussions of Jewish law and tradition as well as detailed descriptions of the culture and customs of the times enhance this wonderful story of [...]
It’s said that in a recession, people opt for old-world comforts. While in the electronic world there isn’t much that’s old world, the librarians who responded to this year’s call for best-database nominations name some mainstays that are likely to inspire some e-nostalgia. Consumer Reports, CultureGrams, and Guide to Reference are resources we’ve relied upon [...]
A roundup of holiday fiction, including mysteries, Christian fiction, and a romance or two.
Finding Equilibrium | LJ Best Magazines 2011
LJ Reviews Social Club