James Frey incurred the very public wrath of Oprah when his "memoir," A Million Little Pieces, was exposed as less than truthful. His publishing deal with Penguin was cancelled and he was mercilessly hounded by the media, disgruntled fans and paparazzi. So I was intrigued when I was given a very hush, hush manuscript of his new novel (published by Harper Collins) and invited to lunch with the gentleman. I can honestly say James Frey is a nice man and a creative and talented novelist. I was given no details or description about Bright Shiny Morning but by the end of the book, I decided this novel is almost like a biography of a city (Los Angeles) because each chapter is introduced by a short (one or two sentences) history lesson of Southern California, and the four main characters each represent different communities within the LA area. But reader beware: many of the facts are questionable. Frey begins the book by stating, "Nothing in this book should be considered accurate or reliable." He (the author) reminded us of that disclaimer at lunch. We kept asking him about the research he had done or the fascinating facts contained in the book, and he would smile and say, "That's true" or "I made that up."

As I mentioned, there are four primary stories in Bright Shiny Morning. Old Man Joe is 39 years old, though he looks a lot older. He is homeless but is considered wise and a problem solver in his community. Esperanza was born to Mexican parents just as they crossed the US/Mexican border thereby allowing the family to stay in America and pursue their dream. Dylan and Maddie are very young and have run away from their small Midwest town and abusive homes to live and love together out West. And finally, there's the Hollywood star - Amberton- living the dream, which includes $20 million film deals, a gorgeous wife and three perfect kids. But his public persona is just another acting job.

The four storylines fit Frey's style perfectly. Back and forth and back again between all of the characters, with the addition of lots of other quick "facts" and mini-stories thrown in; it should have felt jangled and perhaps even disconnected, but I never felt lost or wondered whose story I was reading about. It all worked for me and kept me reading. If you can get beyond the fracas of the memoir vs. novel debacle, and can actually look back and say you liked Million Little Pieces and Frey's writing style, then I really think you should pick up this novel. I found it fascinating and powerfully written. ~Patti

I'm not usually drawn to 'animal stories' but I'd heard this new one by Seattlite Garth Stein was good, so I picked it up and started it. At five pages, I was hooked. Within ten pages, I was a little teary-eyed, which is REALLY unusual for me. At twenty pages, I was laughing out loud. And ready to go to the pound and get my own puppy. This book just swept me off my feet!

The Art of Racing in the Rain is the story of Enzo, a mixed-breed dog, and his lifelong friendship with Denny, his race-car-driving owner. It takes place in Seattle so the story is peppered with fun references to many familiar places around town. What makes this book refreshing is that Enzo narrates the story, and so the reader gets to see the world from a dog's perspective. This can be tricky to pull off, but Stein does it perfectly. He gives Enzo just enough human-like qualities (intelligence, humor, hope) while maintaining his best canine characteristics (innocence, loyalty). Since Denny works during the day and leaves the TV on while he's out, Enzo's world is shaped largely by what he sees on TV. From a Discovery Channel documentary on Mongolia, he learns that some dogs are reincarnated as humans. As Enzo strives to be the best friend he can be, he also prepares himself for his next [human] life, hopefully as a race-car driver. The Art of Racing in the Rain made me laugh and cry (and wish that my condo allowed pets). It's a sweet and unforgettable story that both adults and teens will enjoy. The ending is so good, that when I finished the book, I immediately went back and re-read the last 15 pages… TWICE! I've never done that before. This book’s ending contains the most beautiful, poignant passage I’ve read in a long time [sigh]. ~ Hilary

This first book in a new mystery series isn't quite what I expected. Set in Canada, the protagonist is a 61-year-old woman who, after a surprising divorce, is once again living with her mother . It sounds like it might be fun, charming and probably not too gritty. Think again! Although it is a good mystery, Detective Inspector Hazel Micallef is a wise-cracking, smart aleck with definitely a sharp edge or two or three. Hazel lives in a small Canadian town where violence is rare; so rare, in fact, her department has been making do without a supervising commander and Hazel has been filling the position 'temporarily' for the last several years. In The Calling, Hazel and her small department are put to the test when a terminally ill woman in their town is brutally murdered Upon further investigation they learn this homicide is only one in a string of murders across Canada all involving the terminally ill, but each with its own mode of execution.

It's well written, somewhat dark, with a crotchety protagonist; I'm looking forward to this new series. Oh, and there's one other mystery: according to the back cover of the novel, Inger Wolfe "is the pseudonym for a prominent North American literary novelist" and unfortunately my Google search did not reveal the author's identity. Oh well, I don't really care; it's just one more mystery on top of a mystery. ~Patti

"Harris is a very small hare with very large feet."

This is the story of a child's journey towards self-discovery and independence with the gentle guidance of his grandfather. Catherine Rayner's watercolors are amazing; they convey feeling and inspiration. The artwork and the story are in perfect harmony here, and I am totally in love with the grandfather's whiskers. ~Mara

I am thrilled to announce that Jeanne Birdsall has not let down any of her fans! The second young reader novel featuring the four Penderwick sisters is just as heartwarming, charming and enjoyable as the first (The Penderwicks, which won the National Book Award for young people's literature). This time the family is at home on Gardam Street but Aunt Claire has come for a visit throwing the whole family into a tizzy. It seems the girls' mother entrusted to her sister a letter to be delivered to her husband four years after she died and that time has arrived. Mrs. Penderwick did not want her loving husband to be lonely; her letter asked that, if he hadn't started already, he begin dating. No one is prepared for this. The girls imagine a wicked stepmother and Mr. Penderwick can't even begin to envision what dating again might entail. But Aunt Claire extracts a promise that he will at least try; that he will date four times in the next six months. After an emergency session of MOPS (Meeting of the Penderwick Sisters), the girls come up with a Save-the-Daddy plan - that is to make sure his dates are a total failure.

Once again, I found myself laughing out loud at this thoroughly charming family, and I can hardly wait to recommend to many a young girl (ages 8 to 12) that they curl up with this lovely novel. ~Patti