Huntington Public Library Adult Reading Challenge

  Ella, a single mother of twins, begins a long distance penpal relationship with her brother's friend and army buddy, Becket, while he is away fighting for our country. They develop a strong bond with their letters and then tragedy strikes and they are brought together. This was an emotional story, both heart-warming and heart-wrenching at times. Very well done and kept me captivated from page one until the very end.

This is a must read (after the 5 People you meet in heaven) the sequel does not disappoint. Mitch Albom is a master storyteller and weaves all human emotions. I laughed, cried and oohed and Ahhed! Highly recommend this book!

A short tale narrated by Truth about Nazi occupation and persecution of Jews in Greece.  

  In the post-apocalyptic City, a woman scavenging biotechnology from the company’s ruins keeps a shape-shifting sea-anemone-like biotech that learns as he grows. His innocent appreciation of the world’s bizarre beauty is a joy to her, but rival factions-including a colossal biotech bear vs. mutated children-threaten the city. Imaginative, surreal.

 The guardian's heir leave the Grey Tower to tell the Black tower that doom is coming. Then a girl eaves the grey tower to ask the balk tower to restore summer. The landscapes they separately travel through and the people they meet are bizarre and phantasmagoric - these changes are wonderfully weird and creative to read.

  This book is a sequel to the highly acclaimed "Brooklyn" (which was later filmed starring Saoirse Ronan). I had not read the first, but loved the movie and an NPR interview with the author prompted me to read "Long Island". A wonderful cast of flawed characters both here and among those she left behind in Ireland. Definitely a page turner.

  This is a story of an Irish family in Ireland making plans for the younger daughter to make a life in the States. With the help of her older sister and a priest, the plans are set for her to ship off to Brooklyn. Once in Brooklyn, she soon meets the young man with whom she falls in love. We see and learn the differences being raised in families of different nationalities.

  I enjoyed this well written book on a sensitive traumatized reclusive man's relationship to cats and this particular cat. As a cat lover it was particularly enjoyable. Perhaps not to non cat lovers!

  A great coming-of-age story that's both tragic and touching, spanning decades of a woman's life in Iowa from first (forbidden) love through her more mature years. A violent racist act plays a pivotal role in the early stages of the book, which is a nightmare to comprehend, but the author doesn't go gratuitous detail. The story is so interesting and you quickly feel invested in the protagonist's well-being and future. You won't want to put the book down!

  I learned much about the Korean immigrant experience and family relations, as well as Korean foods & recipes; I didn't know there were Korean foods associated with family events, rites of passage. I know of course certain holidays have special foods. The discussion of H Mart made me find the local one in Hicksville and also encouraged me to go to 99 Rance Asian Market in Westbury. What an experience...like taking a trip.

 I liked this more than I thought I would as it is written in the third person. The main character drove me crazy a little bit as she is so undecisive. Quick beach read and hard to put down.

This was a quick fun book about the Celtic God, Angus. Having known nothing about Celtic mythology, I enjoyed this book because mythology of all cultures is fascinating to me. McCall, with his usual wit and charm, combined the myth story of Angus with modern small vignettes to good effect. This allows for the book to feel like a complete novella and also a collection of short stories all at once. Very enjoyable and quick read.

This book was initially difficult to get into. The language can be bit dense at times, since it is a period-fiction piece. However, once I got into the flow, I really enjoyed this story! I loved the mystery element to the plot - some aspects I figured out, some I did not. The plot took a turn that I was not expecting but really liked. I think the love story element was shoehorned, and I wouldn't have minded if it were cut, but overall, this was a great read!

  Life is complex. We are all human. What is the price of achieving the "American Dream"? The reader follows the story of a new arrival from Haiti. She was supposed to arrive with her mother to live with her family in Detroit. Instead, mother and daughter are separated at a U.S. airport and Fabiola has to come alone. She has to learn how to navigate through her new life. Technically, this is a young adult novel, but it feels like an adult one. There are a lot of layers here that touch on many of the things we hold close us- faith, loyalty, family, power, choices and consequences. A great novel full of emotion. *Contains complex adult situations and language

This uplifting novel is a story of the redemptive power of friendship between strangers and how food can be an intergenerational link. Paying a debt from the past, Sentaro runs a tiny confectioners stand specializing in dorayaki, a pancake filled with sweet bean paste, He meets Tokue, an elderly woman disfigured by Hansen's disease who asks to work for him and teaches him to make the most delicious sweet bean paste. The shop is frequented by students and Wakana begins stopping by daily. A friendship ensues between these three characters and the reader is given a glimpse into the history of the ostracism those suffering from Hansen’s disease faced in Japan. At its core, this is a story of how compassion opens new possibilities.

  This is a beautifully written historical novel of colonial Victorian England. Through a rich tapestry of characters that include well known ones like Charles Dickens, Zadie Smith narrates an account of a court case involving a so-called heir to a noble fortune that had been thought to have perished in a shipwreck. I read the ebook format that was helpful in looking up unfamiliar terms and historical events.

The emotion in this story, which takes place in Manhattan in the 1970s, permeates every single page. Love, race, justice, hope, injustice, life, death. All those themes pour into this heart-breaking story of the despair that exists in America, especially for African Americans.  

 Great for fans of High Fantasy and court intrigue. Immersive storytelling whisks you away to another world parallel to our own. First book in a great trilogy with a satisfying end.

 This is a book of fiction with many non-fiction aspects. Very interesting to learn more about Indian culture and the caste system. Long read so sit back and enjoy.

Emily, I love you but you really lost me with this one. I'm still confused by the ending and I've been processing it for a day already. I liked the thought, and I really wanted to like this book. I was just so confused with where you were going with this. You definitely made a good switch going to romance and you should keep with that.