Bringing Down The House: The Inside Story Of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas For Millions, Ben Mezrich; Free Press

“Recounts the story of how a notorious gang of MIT blackjack savants devised and received backing for a system for winning at the world’s most sophisticated casinos, an endeavor that earned them more than three million dollars.”
Robin’s Note: Bringing Down the House is another competition/sports-related title that’s high on action and well-written (and, of course, there’s the particular fun of knowing it’s all true.)  If you like heist movies or the satisfaction of a well done prank, this book will appeal.

Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester At America's Holiest University, Kevin Roose; Grand Central Pub.

“Armed with an open mind and a reporter’s notebook, Roose dives into life at Liberty University with the goal of connecting with his evangelical peers. He experiences their world first-hand, in this hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking chronicle.”
Robin’s Note: Roose, a student at Brown, is upset that when he meets a group of Evangelical college students, he discovers they can barely have a conversation.  He sets out to do a “semester abroad” at Jerry Falwell’s Evangelical Liberty University to try to figure out whether he can find common ground.  This memoir is funny, thoughtful, and above all well-intentioned—Roose is determined to reject the stereotypes he knows he has and attend this college with an open mind.  He grows an enormous amount, encountering the expected and unexpected, and ultimately the friendships he makes are what he gladly takes away from the experience.

Year Of Wonders: A Novel Of The Plague, Brooks, Geraldine.; Viking

“This gripping historical novel is based on the true story of Eyam, the “Plague Village”, in the rugged mountain spine of England. In 1666, a tainted bolt of cloth from London carries bubonic infection to this isolated settlement of shepherds and lead miners. A visionary young preacher convinces the villagers to seal themselves off in a deadly quarantine to prevent the spread of disease. The story is told through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Anna Frith, the vicar’s maid, as she confronts the loss of her family, the disintegration of her community, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit love.”
Robin’s Note: If you like atmospheric historical novels, Year of Wonders is an evocative look at a terrible time (when the Black Plague was rampant throughout Europe) through the eyes of an 18-year-old.  Based on a true story, it delves into why a village would choose to quarantine itself and the difficulties the villagers face as they try to maintain order in the face of both death and society coming apart at the seams.  It’s beautifully written, and paints a rich and ultimately hopeful picture of a challenging time.

The Looking Glass Wars, Frank Beddor; Dial

“When she is cast out of Wonderland by her evil aunt Redd, young Alyss Heart finds herself living in Victorian Oxford as Alice Liddell and struggles to keep memories of her kingdom intact until she can return and claim her rightful throne.”
Robin’s Note: If you like richly imagined fantasy, Frank Beddor’s new series featuring a very different Hatter.  Although the series draws inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, Beddor’s version of the players are skewed: Hatter M is a lethal, loyal bodyguard of the lost heir to the throne, Alyss, and his desperate search to find her in our world is plagued by enemies from all side.  There are currently two books in the series, with a third to come.

The Rule Of Four, Ian Caldwell; Dial Press

“An ivy league murder, a mysterious coded manuscript, and the secrets of a Renaissance prince collide memorably in The Rule of Four—a brilliant work of fiction that weaves together suspense and scholarship, high art and unimaginable treachery. It’s Easter at Princeton. Seniors are scrambling to finish their theses. And two students, Tom Sullivan and Paul Harris, are a hair’s breadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili—a renowned text attributed to an Italian nobleman, a work that has baffled scholars since its publication in 1499.”
Robin’s Note: If you enjoyed the Da Vinci Code, there are a slew of books that are just as engaging and have a similar, addictive feeling.  Dan Brown’s other books, of course, are always worth checking out (Deception Point, Angels and Demons).  The Rule of Four was published just after the Da Vinci Code, and it has a very similar feel—secret codes, a murder mystery, and a puzzle from generations past.  The college setting makes it a bit younger (just in terms of the protagonists), and there’s a ring of truth to it all as the authors are college best friends.  Another one to try is Katherine Neville’s The Eight, a long but incredibly absorbing quest novel involving chess, mysticism, mathematics, alchemy, and everything in between.

Love As A Foreign Language., J. Torres; Oni Press

“Joel hates Korea. Why he agreed to teach there defies his comprehension. He can’t wait to return to normal life. His year of teaching is almost over and then he’ll finally be free. But Joel’s life is about to go from dark dreams to cotton candy kisses and it’s all because of Hana. The very sight of this girl sends him flying straight to cloud nine, but won’t another year in Korea send him crashing back down?”

Robin’s Note: This graphic novels series, now available in two omnibus editions that complete the series, is charming, hilarious, and balances just enough plot with an equal part unabashed heart.  The fish-out-of-water element in the story show Joel’s isolation, and provides a lot of the humor, but his budding romance with Hana turns his world upside-down in the best possible way.  Great for anyone who knows what it’s like being a bit lost in a foreign landscape, and also how wonderful it is to find a connection anyway.  This is a lesser know graphic novel series (undeservedly!) and the romance and humor combination appeal widely.

The Duke And I, Julia Quinn; Avon Books, Inc.

“By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend’s sister, the lovely—and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it’s all an elaborate plan to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it’s hard to remember that their courtship is a complete sham.”

Robin’s Note: The Bridgerton series, which starts with this title, is a fan-favorite for Regency romance fans, and Quinn’s novels ensnare readers who are not usually romance readers with their smart dialogue and insight into romance.  This series is known for both the quality and romance among the romance readers I know, and is considered one of the better Regency series.  Lisa Kleypas was another author mentioned, and she may also be a place to look for solid Regency titles.

Beguilement (The Sharing Knife #1), Lois Mcmaster Bujold; Eos

“Troubled young Fawn Bluefield seeks a life beyond her family’s farm. But en route to the city, she encounters a patrol of Lakewalkers, nomadic soldier–sorcerers from the northern woodlands. Feared necromancers armed with mysterious knives made of human bone, they wage a secret, ongoing war against the scourge of the “malices,” immortal entities that draw the life out of their victims, enslaving human and animal alike.

It is Dag—a Lakewalker patroller weighed down by past sorrows and onerous present responsibilities—who must come to Fawn’s aid when she is taken captive by a malice. They prevail at a devastating cost—unexpectedly binding their fates as they embark upon a remarkable journey into danger and delight, prejudice and partnership . . . and perhaps even love.”

Robin’s Note: Lois McMaster Bujold is renowned for her complex, engaging fantasy series, including the adventuresome Vorkosigan saga, but this series is a new tale for her combining romance and fantasy in equal parts.  She’s a smart, practiced writer, and her deep world-building creates a rich world.  If you want to try a definite romance/fantasy combination, this is one of the many hybrids that were published in testing out the combinations of the fantasy and romance markets, and of all the writers making the attempt, Bujold is the most likely to succeed.

Alphabet Of Thorn, Patricia A. McKillip; Ace Books

“One of the most spectacular fantasists of our time, Patricia A. McKillip creates fairy tale worlds of wonder and magic. Now, she opens the page on a time and place where an orphan girl is haunted by thorns…a reluctant queen rules between sea and sky… and epics never end…”

Robin’s Note: As with all of Patricia McKillip’s fantasies, this title is full of evocative imagery and lush language.  This time around she zeroes in on the force of love, to both save and destroy.  Learning from your own and your culture’s history and the power of language is all important in this tale.  McKillip is talented as weaving together magic with relatable and endearing characters, from a lonely librarian to a skittish new queen, each coming in to their power.  This particular novel is one of her easier titles to get into, if you are not already a fan, and has a stronger romance element than her other titles.