Author Carol Goodman sets her literary mystery Arcadia Falls in Hudson Valley area of upstate New York. My husband's family lives there, so I found the setting of interest and got a better feel for the area. It is set in winter, and the reader can feel the chill of a Hudson …more Valley winter.

The protagonist is unique - a folklore teacher, studying two authors who wrote fairy tales while living in an artists' colony they founded in the Hudson Valley. The relationship between the recently widowed teacher and her teenage daughter was insightful and realistic.

Casual mystery readers should be able to guess the identity of the killer midway through the story, although the motive behind the murder seemed a little unsatisfying.

The novel did make me more curious as to the story of the fairy tale artists; perhaps Goodman will expand upon those characters featuring their story in a future novel. (less)

As one of Irish heritage, I was drawn to The Walking People by Mary Beth Keane. The author pulls the reader into the world of Irish immigrants Michael and Greta Ward, telling us their story first as country people living in a remote Irish town.

The story gains steam when …more Greta, her sister Johanna, and their friend Michael move to America as teens. Keane realistically portrays the desire and difficulties of the immigrants to assimilate and succeed in a different culture. Her description of life in New York City in the 1960's intrigued me.

The section composed of letters Greta sent back home to Ireland is especially appealing, giving the reader more of an immediate understanding of the characters. Greta is a memorable, well-drawn fictional character.

The last half of the book held my attention more, and I raced through to the conclusion. Fans of Alice McDermott, and anyone who came from Irish immigrants, will enjoy this debut novel. (less)

Author Elissa Elliott successfully combines the Biblical stories of Adam and Eve, and their sons Cain and Abel, with life in historical Mesopotamia in her novel, "Eve - A Novel of the First Woman".

Fans of Anita Diamant's "Red Tent" will enjoy this book, which drew me …more further into their fascinating ancient world with each turn of the page. Narration in alternating chapters by Eve and her daughters Naava, Aya and Dara gives the reader an overall snapshot of life for females at this time in history.

Elliott's reimagining of life in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve's fall from grace, and Cain's killing of his brother Abel add a new dimension to the familiar stories.

Even the afterword to this wonderful novel is interesting, with the author sharing her intensive search for historical accuracy.

The heart of the novel, however, is the undying love that Adam and Eve have for each other. It is inspiring. (less)

For those who have enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's bestseller "Remember Me", Allison Winn Scotch's "Time of My Life" is the flip side.

Jillian wonders if she made a mistake leaving her artistic, laid-back boyfriend Jack and marrying logical, hard-charging Henry.

I wasn't sure I …more would like the conceit of Jillian traveling back in time, but Scotch's writing pulled me into the story, and I raced through the book to get to the conclusion.

Book club discussions about this book will be lively, as this novel strikes a chord with any woman who has ever felt overwhelmed with childrearing responsibilities. (less)