Swim to Me by Betsy Carter

I received this book as a gift (along with the Jane Austen Book Club) as part of my book club's Christmas book exchange. This is a great book!

Before Walt Disney World, Florida was full of small, kitchy attractions. The greatest was the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs. This is the story of Delores Taurus, the greatest of the mermaids. Delores, a 17 year old girl, has left her mother and young brother to start a new life at Weeki Wachee Springs. Being in the water is her one escape from a dreary life. Her father has abruptly abandoned the family and Delores now clearly understands that he is not coming back for her. So she sets off on a greyhound to apply for a job at Weeki Wachee as a mermaid. This is such a great book! It is at times sad, funny and tragic. Well, maybe not that tragic. It made me yearn for the ocean and the hot sun. Great book to read during the cold Ohio winter!

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

I love Jane Austen. LOVE. I have read all of her books a million times. I hate when people write stupid books and incorporate her into them. This book does NOT do that. Clearly the author LOVES Jane Austen. So don't be afraid to read this!!

The story involves 5 women and a man and follows their book club which only reads books by Jane Austen. Not much happens, but the characters are great, the illusions to the Austen stories are fabulous and it's a nice book.

Saving Ceecee Honeycutt

I love a good, southern, chick-lit book. This one does not disappoint. CeeCee is rescued from a cold, scary home and transported to the lovely south to live with her Great Aunt Tootie and Tootie's maid and best friend Oletta. She is surrounded by crazy southern ladies who are lovely and sweet and who you would love to sit on a porch and drink tea with.

There are,however, real issues in this book. Mental illness and how it is handled. The importance of community. The strength of women and the very real difference between the north and the south. I really liked this book.

Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes: A Novel by Cathy Holton

Three friends, living outside Atlanta, decide to take control of their lives and get revenge on the husbands who have done them wrong. They will lie, cheat, and blackmail in order to regain control over their lives.

This book is cute and fun and interesting.

Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke

Do not read this if you are dieting. This is from a series of books that revolve around the owner of a bakery. At the end of every chapter there is a recipe for cookies, cake, pie, etc. Not only does the owner of the bakery make each of this desserts and describe them in detail but she also solves crimes. The book was alright, nothing that will change your life (except that you might gain five pounds). I think this would be a perfect book to read around the holidays where you want something fun and are looking for some great things to bake.

Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg

This is one of my favorite books of all times. I looooooove this book.

The story is simple and homey and comforting. The main charecter is a 10-year old boy. His mom is the local radio personality, Neighbor Dorothy. She broadcasts a daily radio show from their front room with the help of her mother-in-law, local celebrities and neighbors who just stop by. The story takes place over time as all kinds of change come to the tiny town of Elmwood Springs, MO.

LOVE THIS BOOK. It's like chicken noodle soup. :)

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

I love Fannie Flagg. She is like fried chicken and gravy....pure comfort reading. The story is centered on a town in Alabama. Oswald, from Chicago, is told he has one year to live so he packs up his bags and ends up in Lost River. He wants to die in peace, but the people of Lost River won't let him. It is a sweet, heart-warming story.

Rebecca's Promise, etc. (Adam County Trilogy) by Jerry S. Eiche

An interesting fact about Ohio...there are a lot of Amish and Mennonite people living here. AND there is a whole genre of Amish/Mennonite fiction. This is not the best example of Amish fiction, but it is a sweet, peaceful romance trilogy. If you are looking for something that is comforting, this would be a good choice. However, you should check first to see if any Beverly Lewis or Wanda Brunstetter books are available.

Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

This is the 5th book in the Blossom Street Series (The Shop on Blossom Street, A Good Yarn, Back on Blossom Street, 20 Wishes). The series is centered on the activities of A Good Yarn which is a yarn shop on Blossom Street. These books are like comfort food. Nice people, good stories. I could read them over and over and still enjoy them. Perfect for a cozy fall day of curling up with a good book.
In this installment, the owner of the yarn store has taken in a 12 year old girl as a foster child while waiting to adopt an infant (she can't have children because of an earlier bout with cancer as a teen). She has also started a new knitting class to help people quit bad behaviors. This class introduces a couple of new characters: a young woman trying to quit a bad fiance, a man trying to become less stressed. Old friends are here too with their own problems.
I love these books!