Broken Harbor by Tana French

I was a bit apprehensive about this book because I read another of her books In the Woods which was sooooooo disappointing.  Basically, while that one ended, a huge portion of the story was NEVER EXPLAINED.  Which is not cool Tana French.  BUT, the story itself was so intriguing, so I thought I would check this out.
I finished this book a few days ago and then I have been thinking about the story and thinking about the story.  I REALLY liked this book.  It was pretty disturbing.  It wasn't hugely gory but I just can't stop thinking about it. 
A family has been murdered and only the mother survives.  The family's computer has been wiped clean and their are signs that some weird things were going on in the house.  The story follows 2 police detectives and their quest to find out what happened and why.
It's a great book and there are a lot of things to discuss. 

Aunt Dimity & the Village Witch by Nancy Atherton

This book is sweet and comforting and silly and enjoyable.  Perfect if you liked the Mitford series by Jan Karon.  It is part of a series of books (this is number 17 I think?) that revolve around Lori, mother to twins and resident of Finch which is a tiny village somewhere in England.  The residents of Finch know everything about everyone and every event that occurs in their village.  So when a new resident moves in, it is very exciting.  Oh, and Lori has this possessed book through which she convenes with her deceased mother's deceased best friend "Aunt" Dimity.  Dimity is also the reason Lori, an American, lives in Finch.  When Dimity died, she left her cottage in Finch and the book to Lori whom she had never met.  So if you are looking for a new, light series, I would recommend these.

Up from Orchard Street by Eleanor Widmer

This book took a few chapters for me to get engaged in.  HOWEVER, after that, I really loved this book.  It is the story of an emigrant family in New York.  The matriarch Manya, is a widow raising two small children, her son Jack and her little sister sent from Odessa.  The story follows Manya, her child, her sister and her grandchildren.  It is an enlightening story about what life was like for those in the Jewish Ghettos of New York.  I really liked this book, it would be fabulous for a book club study.  According to the book notes, much of this story was autobiographical and this is the now deceased author's only novel.  She did write a book about censorship and  testified as an expert witness in an obscenity trial involving the banning in San Diego of Henry Miller's controversial novel, "Tropic of Cancer." Fascinating and so different from any of my experiences.  A great book!

A Good American by Alex George

This was a good book.  The story of two German immigrants who settle in Missouri and try to be 'good Americans'. They open a restaurant, have kids, have grandkids, go to war.   It was interesting and a good read. 

Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

GO GET THESE BOOKS NOW.  This is a post-apocalyptic series not unlike the Hunger Games or the Maze Runner trilogies.  Here's the storyline:  Todd lives on a distant planet.  His people arrived there to be farmers.  They encountered an alien species that they slaughtered.  Also on this planet, everyone can hear each other's thoughts or 'noise'.  Well, except for the women.  They are quiet, which leads to a lot of problems.  In Todd's town, which is completely isolated from any other settlements, all the women are dead.  And then Todd meets a girl.  They flee trying to save themselves and the future.  SO GOOD.  Also, suitable for teen readers. :)

The titles are The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and The Answer, and Monsters of Men.

True Sisters by Sandra Dallas

I am obsessed with religious beliefs.  Also, I (head bowed in shame) watch Sister Wives.  So this book was FASCINATING to me.  I knew some of the story of Mormon history.  Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, the trek across the country.  I did not know that hundreds of Mormons traveled halfway across the country PUSHING HANDCARTS.  Elderly, ill and pregnant women, little kids, walking day after day, allowed 17 pounds of belongings, pushing handcarts.  Through the heat, the snow, without adequate medical supplies, food, or clothing.  This is the story of 4 women who made the journey.  It was good but emotionally difficult to read. 

Pure by Julianna Baggott

If you liked the Maze Runner or the Hunger Games, you should read this book.  It's the first in a planned trilogy about life in a post apocolyptic world divided into those who live outside of the dome and those who live within, the Pures.  The second book is scheduled to be released February 2013.