This quietly powerful novel by Per Petterson is my favorite 2007 read so far. I found it totally absorbing, and through this excellent writing, I could feel everything in the story – the cold winter wind, the smell of the woodstove, the narrator’s loneliness, and the quiet solitude of his life in rural Norway. Originally written in Norwegian, it has been translated to English by Anne Born, who has done a fabulous job.

The story begins in present day. Our narrator, Trond, is an older Norwegian man who has recently moved into a rustic cabin in the forests of eastern Norway. He plans to spend the rest of his days in self-imposed isolation, escaping his past (about which he is vague at first), and possibly seeking resolution to what life has served him. A few weeks after moving in, he meets the man who lives alone in the cabin down the dirt road, his closest neighbor in this lonely wilderness. This man is vaguely familiar and Trond’s memories of childhood are sparked. Trond’s life story gradually unfolds as he tells us about his past, focusing primarily on the summer of 1948, the events of which formed a pivotal point in his life.

This is a remarkable book, and I highly recommend it. The writing is simple and delicate, yet the story is intense – and I think that’s a hard balance to master. The descriptions of the Norwegian wilderness are so vivid that you will want to dust the pine needles off each page as you read along. ~Hilary

Just about two years ago I wrote a review of The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks which is Book One of the "Fourth Realm Trilogy." I wrote that The Traveler combined the plot details of a "Da Vinci Code" with the paranoia and political muckraking of Owell's 1984 and not only do I stand by those comparisons, they also hold true for the sequel. The Dark River is Book Two in the trilogy and I wasn't the least bit disappointed -- in fact, I had just as much trouble putting this book down as I did the first; one of those, "Don't bother me, I'm reading" books. The 'Traveler' brothers, Michael and Gabriel Corrigan are back; Gabriel is learning to embrace his role as one of the few remaining protectors of our world while Michael has crossed to the dark side and joined the Brethren who want to exert total control over our planets' inhabitants. Maya, the Harlequin whose job it is to protect Gabriel, is also back and is as lethal as ever.

Early in The Dark River, Michael and Gabriel learn their father, who was believed to be dead for many years, may actually be alive and both brothers want to find him. This quest seems to make Michael even more power hungry and Gabriel more reckless but it certainly makes for entertaining reading!

We actually have a few copies of the novel that have been signed by Twelve Hawks which is somewhat remarkable given his resolve to live off the grid and protect his identity. Another fun read! ~Patti

Adults are catching on- young adult literature isn't just for teens! Last month, quite a number of women past their high school and college years were excited to read Eclipse, the latest in Stephenie Meyer's teen vampire/romance series. Just because some of us might be old enough to be the mothers of the characters in these YA novels doesn't mean we don't still appreciate a good story that captures the up and downs, the dramas and dreams of being a teenager.

New this month in paperback is Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman, another generation-bridging novel. I recommend it for all Jane Austen fans who can chuckle at memories of school dances and crushes. It is narrated by Julie, a high school sophomore whose best friend, Ashleigh, is what Julie calls an "enthusiast." Ashleigh goes from passionate interest to passionate interest, gushing and dragging Julie along through phases as varied as candy making, knights and damsels, a rock band called the Wet Blankets, and her latest obsession: Pride and Prejudice. Julie is torn about this mania- she has loved Jane Austen's writing passionately (but quietly) for a while and is worried about her friend's dramatic appropriation of her favorite book.

When Ashleigh's enthusiasm leads to a quest to meet their True Loves (their Mr. Darcys), things get complicated for the girls and downright delicious for the reader. Quadrilles at the fall formal of a local boy's private school, a high school musical, two best friends smitten by the same potential Darcy- it all adds up to froth fun filled with clever insights and romantic intrigues worthy of Ms. Austen herself.

Even readers who have yet to discover the joys of Pride and Prejudice can fall in love with Enthusiasm. I have a feeling it will inspire even more women, young and not quite so young, to turn (or return) to Austen's classics. ~Tegan

You know those domino sculptures when someone will spend hours or maybe even days building elaborate designs which are then toppled with a single tap to the first domino in the line? That was the thought that came to me when after I finished Susan Hill's mystery, The Various Haunts of Men because the author spends a great deal of time setting up the mystery by introducing characters and giving the reader the background necessary to become thoroughly enmeshed in the novel.

The Various Haunts of Men is the first of the Inspector Simon Serrailler mysteries and arrived in the United States in May 2007 (it came out in 2004 in the United Kingdom). The novel has made quite an impression - so much so, that Overlook Press is releasing the second novel in the series, The Pure in Heart, this November! After having read the first (and I'm devouring the second), I can understand the buzz!

Ms. Hill has not written a typical mystery which is solely driven by a charging plot. She takes her time developing characters and not just the "good guys". We are slowly introduced to several different characters, some bad and some good, but become most thoroughly acquainted with detective Freya Graffham who has just transferred from the London police force to the small force located in Lafferton, a cathedral town where her boss is DCI Simon Serrailler. Graffham is smart and she has good instincts, so when two women disappear without a trace, the young policewoman tenaciously works the case. She also develops a deep-seated fascination for Serrailler.

The author has written a thoroughly engaging, somewhat dark and surprising mystery. I only hope she keeps Inspector Serrailler solving crime for a very long time! ~Patti