The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier. 

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown. 

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources. 

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves. 

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.   

Age Range: Adult

Why you should read this book:

• This book made me want to move to Alaska, though I doubt that I am cut-out to survive in the wilderness.  Maybe I'll just go visit...
• The Great Alone is a lot of sad, but it is also a bit of happy too.  I was not depressed after reading the final pages.
• The character "Large Marge" is one of my favorite characters in the book.
• My book club read this book last month. It is written for adults.

Find The Great Alone in our library at: REALISTIC F HAN

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

(Amazon.com)

I liked this book.  I wasn't sure I would because the plot/characters weren't what I was expecting.  Because I can't do it justice with me own words, I am going to copy the blurb from Amazon.com.  I know, it's the cheat book review.  Come see me in the library if you'd like to know more about the book!  It's an enjoyable read about a trip through Europe.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

Find this book in our library at: HISTORICAL F LEE 

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

(Amazon.com)

I have been know to comment at my book club that we need to get away from World War II books because there is so much written about that time period.  So, when my husband read this book over Christmas break and then passed it on to me saying it was really good, my first comment was "Is it all about Nazis?  I'm tired of reading about Nazis."

The answer is NO!  Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys is one of the best books I've read recently.  It's a story of refugees, hope and survival.  Salt to the Sea is a WWII historical fiction novel about refugees leaving East Prussia to obtain passage out on one of the many evacuation ships, one of them being the Wilhelm Gustloff.  The book centers around the stories of 3 refugees and one soldier.

Though largely unheard of, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff is the largest maritime disaster in history.  The loss of life, over 9000 people, was much larger than the more well-known stories of the Titanic or the Lusitania.

Salt to the Sea managed to be both depressing and uplifting.  It made me question how much history is changed over time or covered up.  Why is the story of the Wilhelm Gustloff so largely overlooked in history?

Find Salt to the Sea in our library at: HISTORICAL F SEP

Classics in Graphic Novel Form

Check out these classic books rewritten in graphic novel format!  My son loves these books. They are great for students who are not yet ready to read the original work in its entirety, reluctant readers, or those students who shy away from "the classics."  We have these three in the library.  Find them in our graphic novel section.

741.5 HAL

741.5 EVE

741.5 MIL

(Image credits: Amazon.com)

The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam

 

(Image from: Amazon.com)

 

I recently read The Good Muslim for my book club.  Tahmima Anam is a Bangladeshi writer and I was excited to read something about Bangladesh.
The Good Muslim takes place immediately after the Bangladesh War for Independence.  It explores the rise of religious fundamentalism after the war through the eyes of family members.  I found this story very good, but also very upsetting and sad.  
In fact, I can't really put my thoughts on this book into words just yet, so here's what Amazon (2017) says about The Good Muslim:  

In the dying days of a brutal civil war, Sohail Haque stumbles upon an abandoned building. Inside he finds a young woman whose story will haunt him for a lifetime to come. . . . Almost a decade later, Sohail's sister, Maya, returns home after a long absence to find her beloved brother transformed. While Maya has stuck to her revolutionary ideals, Sohail has shunned his old life to become a charismatic religious leader. And when Sohail decides to send his son to a madrasa, the conflict between brother and sister comes to a devastating climax. Set in Bangladesh at a time when religious fundamentalism is on the rise, The Good Muslim is an epic story about faith, family, and the long shadow of war.

 I recommend this book to anyone interested in the culture/history of Bangladesh and anyone who likes sad stories!
Find The Good Muslim in the Bangladesh Collection of our library: BC F ANA