Huntington Public Library Adult Reading Challenge

  Wonderfully written story of a young woman who enlists to be Vietnam War nurse when women were expected to marry and be homemakers. She loses her older brother to the War and seemed to lose other importance men to the War also. Though she becomes skilled nurse she comes home after two tours and struggles to find footing. It is a heart breaking story of how Viet vets were mistreated and how women vets were denied even the meager support from the administration, but it is also a story of courage and strength of those women and other vets.

 I thoroughly enjoyed this book even more than Twilight itself. As an adult who fell in love with the saga as a 13 year-old I really appreciated the more adult take on the story and the nostalgia that Midnight Sun brings. There are a lot of gaps that have been filled up and given more insight and information on Edward's life and thought process that I felt was greatly missed in the original story.

  The book follows the biblical story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob & his 1st wife Leah. There is a few verses in the Bible about her, but this book takes liberties to expand on her story and follows her from childhood to her death. She is the last child and only daughter with 12 brothers, born to 4 wives/concubines , who love her and treat her like an equal given she is the only girl. Much of the story is based on what happens in the Red Tent, where women go during their menstrual cycles to be separate from the men. Dinah follows in her Aunt Rachel's footsteps and becomes a midwife, becoming renowned for her skills and ultimately causing the separation from her family.

 Thought this would be a good read when I saw accolades by one of my favorite authors, Richard Russo, on the cover. Protagonist is a 50 something-year-old divorcee who returns to Maine to bury her estranged mother. She relives the past, both through memories and interactions with old acquaintances. A lot goes on. A really good read.

  The perfect summer read! The sounds of the waves crashing the shore and searching the perfect wave to surf. It felt like I was in the perfect summer beach house. I loved this book it taught you a lot about family and how you need to always stick together no matter how hard times get. Always take chances and follow your dreams. One day you will get rewarded for your greatness. Remember to always be kind or one day you’ll regret it. Ask for help when needed. Things always tend to come back full circle in the end. But they all ended up happier than ever. A fresh start a happy ending to a sad story. A story of fire.

 Quite interesting tale about a young girl who grows up in her father's book store. When she becomes a woman, a famous author requests her to write her biography. Thus the tale evolves and brings the reader along for a fabulous ride. This is the second time I have read this book and recommend it to all !!!

  Sweet coming of age story between a boy and girl who met as young teens and loved each other in secret for years. When they finally do get together, things fall apart due to poor communication and immaturity. They've lost contact for about a decade, but reconnect in present day. Their long fallout and then swift rekindling wasn't realistic to me. They are now 30 years old still hung-up on their first teen love? I prefer to read about more mature characters. However, the book made me feel nostalgic with many pleasant, summery descriptions, and it's easy to follow, making it a decent beach read.

  It was initially hard for me to get into this book. I was thrown s lot of names and dates without much to ground me. At some point, however, I noticed myself getting caught up in the characters and their world. I really appreciated the variety of characters - the inclusion of a transgender character was a pleasant surprise. Some of the jumps in time left me wanting more. I loved the characters and the ethereal way Bennett writes. A wonderful, worthwhile read.

 This novella explores the impact of a beautiful young girl's murder on her family and friends. Although the lack of closure is frustrating, the prose is gentle and compelling.

  The second of this trilogy picks up where Plain Song left off. Touching portrait of the people of Holt, Colorado, with a focus on two aging rancher brothers.

  "Master of the Universe," Sherman McCoy gets into trouble when he ventures out of his familiar Manhattan neighborhood. This is actually a reread (read it in 1987 or so when it was first written). It is one of my favorite books of all time. Tom Wolfe captures a moment in New York history with this often funny, often disturbing portrait of the 1980s.

  Salacious with a capital S. Who knew Fire Island had so much drama? I thought this would be a fun (local) summer read, but I really hated the characters. Literally all of them. True to the books title they are Bad Summer People. If you are into backstabbing, vapid beautiful people, shallow relationships and affairs galore- this may be for you. A very dramatic summer unfolds in Salcombe (Saltaire) Fire Island and GASP! Also a murder, or is it? And a lot of women's doubles tennis. Not my favorite.

I did not realize this book was y.a. at first, which made me nervous because is it a genre that I am - slowly but surely - outgrowing. However, I found many elements of this book quite complex and captivating. The legal case had more validity than I would have given it credit for, and the therapy sessions were quite insightful. The love story felt shoehorned in - I didn't really need it - but the friendship connections felt real and genuine.

  A beautiful contemporary Scottish novel that evokes a strong sense of nature and seasons. It’s a touching story, written in gorgeous prose.

  Charming but dark novella about a schoolteacher and her protégés, young impressionable girls at a private school in  Edinburgh.