The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler

A public library book read in June, 2013

A very interesting book about the personal relationships and inner lives of a group of five women and one man who met monthly to discuss the novels of Jane Austen. Intricately woven, with layers upon layers, each chapter revealing more of the characters' individual stories.

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

Read, reviewed, and released April-May, 2014

A story of a motherless girl mistreated by her father. Her odyssey with her "nanny" reminded me a little of Huckleberry Finn and Jim. With her only clue a picture on a honey jar label, Lily and Rosaleen manage to find a safe refuge among a family of three African American sisters who keep bees and make honey. There is much interesting information about bees, bee-keeping, and honey. Surprisingly, Lily also finds answers to the mysteries surrounding her own family.