A coming of age novel about a little girl, Francie Nolen, in early 20th century Brooklyn. Smith’s novel, first published in 1943, is every bit as fresh and relevant as it was to its original audience. Told with love and poignancy, Smith takes us on a journey through childhood, preadolescence and family struggle that is at once frightening and difficult, but ultimately, life affirming. Francie Nolen is a character to whom you will feel close, and whom you will wish you could follow beyond the pages of this book.

Set in 1666, this is the story of a young woman living in a town faced with the reality of the plague having arrived on its doorstep, and the town’s courageous and novel decision to quarantine itself so as to stop the spread of the disease beyond its boundaries. Brooks lyrically explores various themes including faith, commitment, love, death and life in this enthralling story. This book, Brooks’ first novel, will make you hungry for more of her storytelling and you will likely run to purchase March, her retelling of the Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women. Don’t stop there, as in January Brooks has a new book coming out, People of the Book.

A slim, spare novel about war, cowardice, and bravery. In this, Arvin’s first novel, the author brings the reader to question what is right, and whether or not morality changes during times of war. It is a powerful story of a young naïve soldier, Heck, confronted with the realization that he is a coward as a soldier in the war-torn European countryside during World War II. Finally, Heck finds himself struggling to cope with his own cowardice as he is asked to perform a task with ultimate consequences to another soldier. You will find yourself asking what is right, and evaluating what the true meanings of bravery and cowardice are.

This is a pure and unadorned novel about community, redemption and love. This is the story of several people in a small Colorado town who, through their own circumstances, are brought together to find in their own souls the depth to which humans will support and sacrifice for one other. Through this journey, the reader comes to understand the importance community plays in the well-being of its individuals. A really beautiful work of literature.

Recent research estimates that one in 133 Americans has Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease which causes a reaction in the small intestine to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and causes a myriad of problems for those who have the disease. It is further estimated that only three percent of those with the disease actually know they have it. As physicians become better informed and able to recognize the possibility of this disease in their patients, more people are being diagnosed and the need for reliable, straightforward information grows. This book is the answer. Green and Jones explain the disease, the treatment (lifelong and strict adherence to a gluten-free diet), the related diseases, and go a long way to debunk much of the misinformation out there about the disease. In places the book is quite technical, but for someone with the disease, or for someone who has a person to whom he or she is close with the disease, this is the book to read.

This recently published "memoir" grew out of the blog written by the author. Ahern, who was diagnosed with Celiac several years ago, writes an engaging and fun book about her own diagnosis and how she learned to embrace and enjoy food again, after having to give up foods containing gluten. This book, while it does offer many recipes that look good, primarily offers a glimpse into the emotional response to this diagnosis. For me, Ahern is spot on with her description of the grieving one goes through over the loss of many foods, and over the change in relationships that person experiences with the restrictions of the diet. It is a book which points out candidly the cultural importance that food plays in our lives and how dietary restrictions alter that. Fortunately, for Ahern, she learned that life without gluten can be just wonderful and does a lovely job of sharing that!