My March 2013 Reading List.

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe
Abe’s novel The Sweetest Dark offers up something a bit new in the story of the transformation from girl into woman when, in addition to puberty, fitting in and first love. Lora Jones has the additional burden of transforming into a strange and powerful creature. She is a feisty heroine who begins to discover the mystery of her heritage while becoming with two intriguing but oppositely positioned young men.Fascinating historical fiction with a somewhat unsatisfying end, which maybe has to be expected since it is the first in a trilogy.

The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma
The unreliable narrator and writer of Kristopher Jansma’s The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards tells readers upfront that figuring out the reality of his life will mean reading between the lines of his dramatic and imaginatively penned stories. The result is a deeply moving exploration of love, friendship and the often confounding and counter intuitive nature of truth and storytelling.

How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid 
Hamid breaks the conventional novel mold with this brashly titled, self-referencing expose on self-help books written entirely in an omniscient second person narrative. Colorful and evocative language outline harsh realities of an unnamed but appealing main character, You, seeking the comforts of wealth while being tempted by the distracting call of true love.

Bay of Fires by Poppy Gee
Lush storytelling and rich characterizations are used to good advantage in this atmospheric murder mystery set in the tiny Australian town, Bay of Fires. The troubled main character and town full of people, all with something to hide, makes for an engaging read, chock-full-of-intrigue.

The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper
The Demonologist is a wonderful example of the scholarly/literary horror genre, in the tradition of The Historian. Pyper captures in his main character Professor David Ullman a man who is believably devoted to both his daughter and his study of Milton’s Paradise Lost. The loss of his daughter forces Ullman on a quest that is exciting, creepy, and utterly fascinating. 

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
Reasoning that technology is the root of all her problems in the wake of a failed relationship, Mallory “goes vintage”, forswearing the internet and any technology not available before 1962 in this delightful novel of romance, finding inner strength, repairing family relationships and the comfort of sisters.

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