The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot; Crown Publishers

“Documents the story of how scientists took cells from an unsuspecting descendant of freed slaves and created a human cell line that has been kept alive indefinitely, enabling discoveries in such areas as cancer research, in vitro fertilization, and gene mapping.”
Robin’s Note: This is a gripping bestseller for a reason: while the summary here emphasizes the scientific side of the story, the engaging part is the story of Henrietta Lacks herself.  The complications of scientific research, racial prejudice, medical ethics, and a personal relationship with the Lacks family drove Skloot to write an astounding, affecting work.

1969: The Year Everything Changed, Rob Kirkpatrick; Skyhorse Pub.

“Chronicles American music, news, politics, art, publishing, and sports during 1969, from Woodstock to the Manson family and Richard Nixon’s presidency to the gay rights movement.”
Robin’s Note: Kirkpatrick is a free-wheeling writer, and this look at the end of the decade is both far-ranging and not too serious.  He addresses some grim moments (the Zodiac Killer, for example) but also rhapsodizes about the Mets and jazz.  As a journey through the last year of the decade, it’s a strong read, and while it doesn’t cover every aspect, it’s an enjoyable ride through some major historical beats.

On The Road To Freedom: A Guided Tour Of The Civil Rights Trail, Charles Cobb Jr., Cobb, Charles E. Jr; Algonquin Books

“An award-winning black journalist takes a pilgrimage through the sites and landmarks of the civil rights movement as he journeys to key locales that served as a backdrop to important events of the 1960s, journeying around the country to pay tribute to the people, organizations, and events that transformed America.”
Robin’s Note: For anyone interested in the 1960s and the struggle for civil rights, this personal view of history illuminates.  Cobb was a part of these events and has a vast memory for the people, places, and situations, and the narrative presented as a travelogue is an engaging and different way to present recent history.  If you’re curious for more, you might also try Freedom Riders by Raymond Arsenault.

Harriet And Isabella, Patricia O'Brien; Touchstone

“A novelization based on a nineteenth-century sex scandal traces how the downfall of Henry Ward Beecher divided the nation and severed the loving relationship between his sisters, author Harriet Beecher Stowe and suffragist Isabella Beecher Hooker.”
Robin’s Note: For anyone interested in American culture and history.  It’s part history, part gossip, and part biographical portrait.  The conflict of appearances versus fact and between two headstrong sisters (who are famous each in their own right) makes for a dramatic story.  The courtroom scenes as well as family betrayals are suspenseful, moving the story along, and the depth of the history lends weight to what could be just a scandal-driven tale.

The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows; The Dial Press

“January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb…. As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Liz’s Notes: Don’t let the title fool you. This novel brings the period just after WWII to life, and creates characters that are thoroughly believable. The island of Guernsey is a setting one does not often see, and the period emphasis makes this a charming and moving novel.

The Air We Breathe: A Novel, Andrea Barrett; W. W. Norton

“Detached from the rest of the country on the eve of World War I, the tuberculosis-stricken residents of an Adirondack lakeside sanatorium are housed in accordance with their economic status and languish in their isolation before an enterprising patient initiates a weekly discussion group.”
Robin’s Note: Angela Barrett is well known for compelling historical fiction, often paired with investigations into the history of science and medicine.  Most of all, though, her stories are human and beautifully described without being too dense.  You might also try Ship Fever, her collection of short stories, to get a taste of her style and her first novel, The Voyage of the Narwhal.

A Live Coal In The Sea, Madeleine L'Engle; Farrar, Straus, And Giroux

“Three generations of a family struggle with loyalty, commitment, and identity when Camilla Dickinson is confronted by her granddaughter, Raffi, with the news that her father has hinted that Camilla is not really her grandmother.”
Robin’s Note: Another read-alike for Irving, L’Engle’s adult works are often eclipsed by her reputation as a writer for children.  That is a shame: her adult novels beautifully explore characters in depth and she has a knack for making the ordinary evocative and special.  She tends toward the spiritual, but she’s neither preachy nor judgmental.

The Inner Circle, T. Coraghessan Boyle; Viking

“In 1940, innocent young John Milk accepts a job as an assistant to Dr. Alfred Kinsey, an Indiana University zoologist studying human sexuality, and takes part, along with his wife, in sexual experiments that become ever more uninhibited.”
Robin’s Note: T. Coraghessan Boyle is an author highly recommend as a read-alike for John Irving given his evocative characters, settings, and his treatment of ideas both extraordinary and mundane.  This novel explores many of Irving’s favorite issues: fidelity, sex, and love.

Murder At The Old Vicarage, Jill McGown, Jill McGown; St. Martin's Press

“A killing blow on the head took the life of Graham Estow, but the vicar and his wife were hardly grieved. He was the son-in-law who had severely beaten their daughter Joanna a few months ago. Unfortunately, it appears that someone very close to the household is the murderer, though no one is about to confess to it. Inspector Lloyd and Detective Sergeant Judy Hill wander through a maze of self-confessed killers, myriad motives, and their own frustrating partnership to find a murderer with a message.”

Liz’s Note: A well written, traditional British mystery by a writer who deserves to be much better known. Lloyd and Hill are wonderful characters.

Dying To Call You: A Dead-end Job Mystery, Elaine Viets; Signet

“While making the best of her new telemarketing job, Helen Hawthorne thinks she hears a murder on the other end of the line-and must avoid a close call with a killer.”

Liz’s Note: One of the great things about this humorous series is knowing that the author has actually worked all of the “Dead End” jobs she writes about. Reading about the people on the other end of those annoying telemarketing calls is eye opening as well as very entertaining.

Dreaming Of The Bones, Deborah Crombie; Scribner

“Crombie has been nominated for virtually every major mystery award for her brilliant police procedurals featuring Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, who are personally and professionally entwined. In this New York Times Notable Book, Duncan’s ex-wife, a Cambridge biographer, asks for his help in proving that her current subject was not a suicide but was in fact murdered. Initially skeptical, he finds aspects of the case that arouse his own suspicions.”

Liz’s Note: This is a another strong entry in an excellent series. Crombie does an excellent job in showing how the past really does influence our present, often in ways we fail to recognize. This is a mystery that will certainly appeal to fans of the traditional British police procedural, and also to readers of A. S. Byatt’s Possession.

The Burglar In The Library: A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery, Lawrence Block; Dutton

“Bernie Rhodenbarr returns in the eighth installment of Lawrence Block’s bestselling Burglar series. After his girlfriend dumps him to marry another, Bernie follows the couple to a New England Inn with his sights set on an autographed first edition copy of Raymond Chandler’s “The Big Sleep,” located in the Inn’s library. But when a dead body appears and all the guests remain snowbound, it’s up to Bernie to solve the case!”

Liz’s Note: Another thoroughly enjoyable entry in this very funny series. In describing this book the author says “Think Agatha Christie at Fawlty Towers”, and that is certainly the perfect description. Bernie is a delightful character and the setting will remind fans of the classic house party mysteries of the past.

Murder With Peacocks (A Meg Lanslow Mystery), Donna Andrews; St. Martin's Minotaur

“Three Weddings…And a Murder So far Meg Langslow’s summer is not going swimmingly. Down in her small Virginia hometown, she’s maid of honor at the nuptials of three loved ones - each of whom has dumped the planning in her capable hands. One bride is set on including a Native American herbal purification ceremony, while another wants live peacocks on the lawn. And, in whirl of summer parties and picnics, Southern hospitality is strained to the limit by an offensive newcomer who hints at skeletons in the guests’ closets.”

Liz’s Note: Looking for a funny mystery? The Meg Langslow series is a hoot. Murder With Peacocks won the St. Martin’s Press/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Contest.

Dooley Takes The Fall, Norah McClintock; Red Deer Press

“Seventeen-year-old Dooley is witness to a suicide, but with his troubled past and new details to the case he is suspected of murder.”
Robin’s Note: This is a relatively new title but it’s been buzzed about as a strong tale that manages to be readable, suspenseful, and emotionally honest.  Dooley is a bit of a black sheep, but he’s caught in a situation that’s pushes what he can handle on his own.  This is a strong pick for readers looking for a realistic tale that’s realtively short but packs a punch.

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.

Being, Kevin Brooks; The Chicken House

“After having a routine exam that turns out to be anything but routine, Robert learns about the mechanical parts and plastic casings that make up his being, forcing him to flee the only world he has ever known and go on a dangerous search to find out who (and what) he is.”
Robin’s Note: Kevin Brooks has a lot of fun skating along the edge of what’s possible in this book.  What would happen if you woke up and weren’t quite human anymore?  He doesn’t concentrate on the science but instead on the confusion – how can you find out what you are now, and why would anyone do this?  The chase starts almost immediately, and doesn’t let up.

Son Of The Mob, Gordon Korman; Hyperion Books For Children

“Seventeen-year-old Vince’s life is constantly complicated by the fact that he is the son of a powerful Mafia boss, a relationship that threatens to destroy his romance with the daughter of an FBI agent.”
Robin’s Note: Korman’s entertaining Son of the Mob is a wild ride through how difficult it would be to date the daughter of the man determined to bring down your own father for his many crimes.  Korman is always funny, and this book is no exception, and you end up rooting for both sides because they genuinely appealing.

Ender's Game (Ender, Book 1), Orson Scott Card; Tor Science Fiction

“A veteran of years of simulated war games, Ender believes he is engaged in one more computer war game when in truth he is commanding the last fleet of Earth against an alien race seeking the complete destruction of Earth.”
Robin’s Note: If you haven’t already read Ender’s Game, it’s a classic for many reasons: a brilliant idea executed in clear but eloquent language.  The idea of using children to fight a war is not unheard of, of course, but Card takes the whole idea and tells if from the point of view of a reluctant child strategist whose brilliance makes him a target for his peers and his enemies.

Little Brother, Cory Doctorow; Tom Doherty Associates

“After being interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, seventeen-year-old Marcus, released into what is now a police state, decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right.”
Robin’s Note: This title, set in a very near possible future, is one of the best recent thrill rides.  Little Brother combines a lot of ideas: security, terrorism, patriotism, and loyalty mix with gaming, hacking, and clever non-violent public protests.  The insight of Marcus’s computer invasions are exciting and impressive, like any good movie where one side outsmarts the other.  Once the story begins, it never lets up, and pulls you right through to the end.  Doctorow poses a lot of questions along the way in this book, and does have clear concerns about civil rights and government restrictions, but the most engaging part of this book is the tense adventure.

The Body Of Christopher Creed, Carol Plum-Ucci; Volo/Hyperion

“When Christopher Creed, the class freak and whipping boy, suddenly disappears without a trace, everyone speculates on what could have happened to him. Soon fingers begin pointing, and several lives are changed forever.”
Robin’s Note: Carol Plum-Ucci has made a name for herself in writing incredibly tense tales, and she tends to let you decide the answer to a lot of her plots.  This is her first book, and as you try to puzzle through what happened to Creed, the building questions and threats increase the thrill.  If you like her style, I’d also recommend What Happened to Lani Garver? and The She.

Deal Breaker (Myron Bolitar Mysteries), Harlan Coben; Delacorte Press

“Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron’s prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead, the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family’s tragedy, a woman’s secret, and a man’s lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed.”
Robin’s Note: Harlan Coben is a popular mystery writer, and his plots are suspenseful and engaging alongside world-building details about the culture each series is set within.  This series can make a good match for teens interested in sports as well as mysteries who are looking outside the teen fiction offerings.  As with any mystery series, there are more after this first title – and if you just like his mysteries, he’s written a number of different series aside from this group.

Audrey, Wait!, Robin Benway; Razorbill

“While trying to score a date with her cute co-worker at the Scooper Dooper, sixteen-year-old Audrey gains unwanted fame and celebrity status when her ex-boyfriend, a rock musician, records a breakup song about her that soars to the top of the Billboard charts.”
Robin’s Note: This title has a tiny bit of the fantastic thrown in, as Audrey suddenly becomes famous due to her ex suddenly gaining fame and fortune from writing a song about their break up, but once you get into the actual story, it’s a witty, sharp examination of love, music, commitment, and being true to yourself.  Audrey is far from a doormat, and though her sudden notoriety throws her for a loop, with the help of her best friends and possible new boyfriend, she will take control of her life and story.

Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist, Rachel Cohn; Knopf, Distributed By Random House

“High school student Nick O’Leary, member of a rock band, meets college-bound Norah Silverberg and asks her to be his girlfriend for five minutes in order to avoid his ex-sweetheart.”
Robin’s Note: You may have heard about this title as it was made into a film, but don’t let that make you think it’s not worth picking up the book.  Written together by two great teen authors, each tackling the voice of one half of our potential romantic couple, it’s funny, sly, sexy, occasionally embarrassing, and above all one energizing trip through one night in New York City.  If you like this one, the authors teamed up again to publish Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List, which is a different sort of journey but has the same appeal.

King Of The Mild Frontier: An Ill-advised Autobiography, Chris Crutcher; Greenwillow Books

“Chris Crutcher, author of young adult novels such as “Ironman” and “Whale Talk,” as well as short stories, tells of growing up in Cascade, Idaho, and becoming a writer.”
Robin’s Note: Jack Gantos’ Hole in My Life is an intriguing memoir of a life that could have gone horribly awry, and this memoir is very engaging but in a different way.  Chris Crutcher is know for many teen novels, but his memoir is charming and often laugh out loud funny.  If the crime element is what appealed to you in Hole in My Life, this title doesn’t have that same allure, but as a memoir of a regular guy who went on to become a top-notch writer, it’s a solid choice.

The Perfect Store: Inside EBay, Adam Cohen; Little, Brown

“Adam Cohen, the only journalist to get full access to eBay, tells the remarkable story of its rise and how it formed one of the most passionate communities in cyberspace.”
Robin’s Note: This title is great for anyone interested in business, and in particular how some of the brand name companies we all recognize today got their start.  This title, about EBay as a company and as an online mecca for collectors, combines company history with a look into how Ebay brands itself successfully.  Particularly interesting is the way that EBay has cultivated the reputation of being built around community despite behavior that may make its “community” more constructed than naturally occurring.

Finding Nouf: A Novel, Zoë Ferraris; Houghton Mifflin

“A captivating page-turner that vividly evokes Saudi Arabiansociety and introduces an original new hero.When sixteen-year-old Nouf goes missing and is found drowned in the desert outside Jeddah, Nayir-a desert guide hired by her prominent family to search for her-feels compelled to find out what really happened. Gentle, hulking, conscientious Nayir soon finds himself delving into the interior life of a wealthy, protected teenage girl in one of the most rigidly segregated of Middle Eastern societies.To gain access to the world of women, Nayir realizes he will have to join forces with Katya Hijazi, a lab technician at the coroner’s office and the fiancée of Nouf ‘s brother.”
Robin’s Note: This mystery (much like the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall-Smith) is excellent in how it evokes a culture very different from the US.  All of the details of society are presented through the characters, keeping it emotionally invested rather than feeling like a list of facts about Saudi Arabia.  The characters of investigator Nayir and lab tech Katya, an intelligent woman pushing against the confines of her society, are immediately likable and filled with humor, and the mystery is a carefully plotted puzzle.

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

Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta; HarperTeen

“In this absorbing new novel by the award-winning author of “Saving Francesca,” nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor Markham tries to put together the pieces of her past.”
Robin’s Note: If you enjoy rich language, intense drama, and building suspense, this novel is outstanding.  This one takes a bit of time to get into, so you may have to push yourself to get through the first fifty pages (the novel is purposefully disorienting at the start), but once you get into the story and the characters, it’s unforgettable.  The setting is Australia, although it takes a while to figure out quite where you are, and the interlocking tales of these teens current lives and past connections are slowly unraveled.  I’ve rarely read a more haunting book about past incidents pushing forward unexpected consequences on the current generation, and the power of friends to both hurt and save you.

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins; Scholastic Press

“In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss’s skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place.”
Robin’s Note: The Hunger Games has gathered quite a following, and with good reason: this thrill-ride of a book sets its story in a grim post-apocalyptic setting where teens combine in a combination of a glamorous reality TV show and deadly gladitorial combat.  Katniss is a great heroine, but the real story is the inventive threat of the arena, where all the district’s select fighters compete to the death.  Be warned: this title ends on a cliffhanger, and its sequel, Catching Fire, is just as gripping.  This will be a trilogy.

Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld; Simon Pulse

“In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.”
Robin’s Note: You may have already read or seen Scott Westerfeld’s more noted books (Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras), and this is his new series, already extremely popular (so you’ll likely have to request it rather than find it on the shelf.)  This one has a definite steampunk flair, if that’s a style that appeals, and the combination of a familiar situation (World War I) tweaked to involve air battles and genetic engineering makes for an innovative setting.  Westerfeld is known for packing in the action and never letting it stop, and this series continues that tradition.  This title also has the added charm of gorgeous illustrations throughout the text, a tradition not seen very often in novels any more, but in this case beautifully rendered.

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.