2005 Book Sense Recommendations from SIBA stores

SEASONED IN THE SOUTH: Recipes From Crook's Corner and From Home
By Bill Smith, preface by Lee Smith

"This book is filled with delicious Southern recipes, often with French or Mediterranean accents. If you're skeptical, Smith's recipe for 'Figs with Ham and Sauce Bellevue' will make you a believer!" --Frazer Dobson, Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC

THE MAYOR OF LEXINGTON AVENUE: A Novel
By James Sheehan

"It's hard to believe that this is James Sheehan's first novel. A long-time trial attorney in Florida, he has written a legal thriller set in a small Florida town that is utterly fascinating. We hope this is just the beginning of a long literary career." --Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD
By David Laskin

"A riveting winter read, Laskin's story chronicles a monster blizzard that devastated the Great Plains in January 1888 and left some 500 people -- mostly children trying to get home from school -- frozen dead on the prairie. This is not your Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Long Winter." --Katherine Le Croy, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Memphis, TN

The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook: Featuring More Than 1,200 Everyday Recipes From America's Most Trusted Kitchen
By The Editors at America's Test Kitchen

"This new cookbook is sure to become an American classic. It is a vast collection of recipes, techniques, and tip boxes. It is user-friendly and lavishly illustrated. I love it!" --Elizabeth Rainbow, Goerings Book Store, Gainesville, FL

Son of a Witch: A Novel
By Gregory Maguire

"Wicked fans rejoice! Gregory Maguire is back with a great novel that answers a lot of those burning questions we had after finishing Wicked. Just like its predecessor, Son of a Witch looks at story you thought you knew and makes it new and original." --Kathleen E. Raymond, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Memphis, TN

THE CITY OF FALLING ANGELS
By John Berendt

"Can't decide if you're in the mood to read a mystery, great literature, travel writing, or history? All this, and more, is brilliantly captured in this truly sensational look at the fire that destroyed one of the most treasured landmarks in Venice, the world's most beautiful city." --Jake Reiss, The Alabama Booksmith, Birmingham, AL

THE BIG OVER EASY: A Nursery Crime
By Jasper Fforde

"Humpty Stuyvesant Van Dumpty III has been murdered, and it's up to Detective Jack Spratt and his new assistant, Sgt. Mary Mary, to get to bottom of it, while facing several unbelievable obstacles, including an alien on staff and Jack's compulsion to kill giants. Fforde's latest is a real treat." --Aislinn Evans, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Memphis, TN

FAITHLESS: A Novel
By Karin Slaughter

"Sharply drawn, fascinating characters distinguish this ingenious thriller. Seemingly separate plot strands involving domestic violence and a sequestered religious group weave in and out and, finally, come together in a breathtaking fashion. Once you begin, you will not be able to put Faithless down." --Dea Anne Martin, Chapter 11, Atlanta, GA

THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN: A Novel
By Anita Diamant

"This novel is based on a settlement on Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in the 1800s, a destitute area populated by prostitutes, freed slaves, widows, orphans, and misfits. However, the tale of the kindnesses among them will touch the heart. This is a novel well worth reading." --Barbara Hoffman, Bohannons' Books With a Past, Georgetown, KY

THE MYTH OF YOU AND ME: A Novel
By Leah Stewart

"Cameron and Sonia were inseparable for a decade but a huge rift, begun in a cloud of dust in a Texas parking lot, has come between them. Told in present tense from Cameron's point of view, we're reminded that we only ever see our half of any story. Touching and engaging -- a great read." --Caitlin Sasser, The Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA

HUNGER'S BRIDES: A Novel of the Baroque
By Paul Anderson

"Set in 17th century Mexico and 20th century Canada, this story of Sor Juana, a Mexican poet, and Beulah Limosneros, a graduate student who is researching her life, is told, in part, by a professor who may (or may not) have had something to do with Beulah's death. This wonderful, engaging novel is sure to please fans of all genres." --Kathleen E. Raymond, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Memphis, TN

THE ART OF UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT: A Novel
By Kim Ponders

"Ponders' writing is clean and spare and yet her main character, Annie Shaw, is remarkably complex. When you've finished this novel, you continue thinking about her complicated relationships with the men in her life, flying in the Air Force, and the difficulties that come with being a women at war." --Susan Thomas, CoffeeTree Books, Morehead, KY

The Witch of Cologne
By Tobsha Learner

"The Witch of Cologne tells the story of Ruth, a woman of intellect and curiosity, who is considered a witch in this time of ignorance, treachery, mysticism, and complex politics. This story of 17th-century life during the Inquisition is the way to get history, entertaining while enlightening." --Judy Mathys, Family Book Shop, Deland, FL

In Perfect Light: A Novel
By Benjamin Alire Saenz

"In this story of a troubled young man and a widowed psychologist, Saenz's lyrical prose describes characters I cared about more deeply than any I have encountered for some time. Grace, Andres, and their loved ones bravely face psychological trauma and cultural dislocation to find light and hope in the most devastating circumstances." --Mary Landrum, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington, KY

Trace Evidence: A Novel
By Elizabeth Becka

"I sat down and read Trace Evidence in one sitting. This unsentimental mystery gives readers a gripping look inside the world of forensic investigation. (Becka is a forensic specialist as is her main character, Evelyn James.) I can't wait to recommend this one!" --Betsy Goree, The Book Shelf, Tryon, NC

Specimen Days: A Novel
By Michael Cunningham

Cunningham's latest novel is divided into three sections, each telling a story of a different time period with the same basic set of characters: a young boy, an older gentleman, and a young lady. This beautifully written novel delves deep into the different types of fear that possess people and shows how these fears connect people, places, and time." --Lauren Lanza, Square Books, Oxford, MS

Sweetgrass
By Mary Alice Monroe

"You can smell the salt air and hear the grass rustle in Monroe's writing. Building up her story of a family's struggle to remain united the way a basket maker builds up a sweetgrass basket, layer by layer, Monroe shows how the culture of the modern South unfolds." --Gee Gee Rosell, Buxton Village Books, Buxton, NC

The Woodsman's Daughter: A Novel
By Gwyn Hyman Rubio

"Rubio -- the author of Icy Sparks -- has created another memorable character and story. The setting -- 1800s southern Georgia -- is different from our own, but the anguish and conflicts of the characters are universal." --Kay Vincent, Bohannons' Books With a Past, Georgetown, KY

The Traveller: A Novel
By John Twelve Hawks

"The Traveler is a fascinating blend of mysticism, conspiracy theory, and martial arts. I loved it! Fans of The Da Vinci Code and The Matrix won't be able to put this one down. I read the novel in one sitting, staying up past midnight to finish. I can't wait for the sequel!" --Linda Barrett Knopp, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, Asheville, NC

The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks
By Susan Casey

"What other creature than a great white shark can inspire such a mix of awe, fascination, and primeval fear? Casey thrusts you into the world of shark researchers fighting nature, bureaucracy, and tourism profiteers to advance our knowledge of these largely unknown creatures." --Rosemary Pugliese, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC

Hide and Seek: A Novel
By Clare Sambrook

"Sambrook's novel is a heartwrenching view of the loss of a sibling and its debilitating effects on family. Told with clarity, this is a beautiful narrative." --Meaghan Leenaarts, Island Bookstore, Corolla, NC

The Bright Forever: A Novel
By Lee Martin

"A nine-year-old girl rides off on her bike to return a library book and disappears, setting off a series of events that involves the entire town. Martin populates his novel with people who are typically ordinary, but it is his prose and his exact attention to the nuances of the human soul that bring these folks to life. Do not miss this stunning book!" --Robert Segedy, Branch's Chapel Hill Bookshop, Chapel Hill, NC

Lizzie's War: A Novel
By Tim Farrington

"This strong and moving novel is a reminder that Vietnam was a war fought on two fronts -- the bloody and baffling war in Southeast Asia and the war at home of protest and civil unrest. Lizzie cares for her children while her husband, Mike, serves his tour of duty. Farrington's novel shows their ordinary heroism and love." --Lyn Roberts, Square Books, Oxford, MS

Bleedout
By Joan Brady

"This thriller about a family corrupted by a violent death features complex characters and a good plot, but it's the writing that gets you as the story is told by the murdered and the 'murderee.' Great stuff!" -- Hester Jeswald, Sarasota News & Books, Sarasota, FL

A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America
By Stacy Schiff

"Schiff presents so many little-known facts about Franklin that, from time to time, the reader has to put the book down and ask how have we missed this? The entire book is proof-positive that Schiff is one of the most gifted storytellers writing today." -Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

In the Company of Liars
By David Ellis

"In The Company of Liars takes mystery and excitement to unimaginable heights in a novel set in reverse chronological order! The story is jam-packed with twists and turns, which will leave one guessing till the very beginning." -Emery Pinter, Chapter 11, Atlanta, GA

Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
By Anne Lamott

"I can't tell if Anne Lamott is a humorous spiritual writer or a spiritual humor writer, but she always makes me laugh and always makes me think." -- Terry Lucas, The Open Book, Greenville, SC

Tamburlaine Must Die
By Louise Welsh

"In 1593 London, a murderer has taken the name of one of Christopher Marlowe's most famous creations, and to save his own neck Marlowe must track him down in only a few days. Great stuff!" -- Anna Cloninger, The Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA

The Face of a Naked Lady: An Omaha Family Mystery
By Michael Rips

"Rips' story begins as a quest to understand a secret part of his father's life, but this is not a typical angst-driven memoir. The story is full of gossip about the history of Omaha, bawdy stories that make you laugh out loud, and some of the most outrageous characters you could ever meet. But Rips is also challenging us to engage in 'a dialogue with the mysterious and unknown.' I can't praise this book enough." -- Ann Carlson, Harborwalk Books, Georgetown, SC

Pinkerton's Sister
By Peter Rushforth

"This book takes place in the mind of Alice, a 35-year-old unmarried woman living in New York at the turn of the century. An embarrassment to her family, she is a voracious and perceptive reader and critic. The book is full of references to her reading as she observes her world with rage, self-knowledge, and wry humor. The writing just flows." -- Deb Wehmeier, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, LA

Bleachy Hair Honky Bitch: Tales from a Bad Neighboorhood
By Hollis Gillespie

"The, ahem, title comes from an incident in which Hollis Gillespie was yelled at by a potential neighbor while house hunting in a bad neighborhood. Which is essentially what the book is about: the search for a safe haven in what passes for the ongoing storm otherwise known as Gillespie's life. This writing comes straight from the heart."-Gina Webb, Tall Tales Book Shop, Atlanta, GA

The Magdalen Martyrs
By Ken Bruen

"When a local thug hires Jack Taylor to track down a woman, the question becomes whether Jack will be able to dodge the bullets flying around his head. The drama is not without humor, which makes it the fun read it is." -Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

Pride of Carthage: A Novel of Hannibal
By David Anthony Durham

"In Pride of Carthage, history is brought to life with a realistic blend of fact and fiction depicting Hannibal's march on Rome. Shrewd and engaging, Durham brings humanity and great depth to one of the best historical novels of the decade!" --Emery Pinter, Chapter 11, Atlanta, GA

The Celestial Jukebox: A Novel
By Cynthia Shearer

"A Chinese grocer, farmers -- white and black, Mauritians, gangstas, Hondurans, and musicians of all sorts pass through Madagascar, Mississippi. This is a story about relationships -- familial, economic, and accidental -- and about how intertwined lives are in this microscopic town in the Mississippi delta, a place that reflects the world." -- Lyn Roberts, Square Books, Oxford, MS

The Effects of Light
By Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

"In her stunning debut, Beverly-Whittemore writes of two precocious young girls who pose as models for a family friend and end up at the center of a controversy that has its characters questioning the distinctions between art and pornography, and who is responsible for feelings and actions evoked by a piece of art, the artist or the viewer?"-Katrina Denza, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC

We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle
By Celia Rivenbark

"Put a dollop of Haywood Smith, Bailey White, and Jill Conner Browne on top of a sweet potato and you've got Celia Rivenbark's collection of humorous essays-and all her Southern ways and Southern 'tawk.'"-Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

At Risk
By Stella Rimington

"This book is a good, clean narrative of a single terrorist incident. Unhindered by superfluous character analysis and written by the first woman director general of MI5, it offers stark insight into the motives and methods of the perpetrators. Great for le Carré fans."-Hester Jeswald, Sarasota News & Books, Sarasota, FL

The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of the Slave Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom
By John Bailey

"Based on Louisiana court records, this book tells the story of Sally Miller, a young German girl who became the slave property of a French cabaret owner in the 1840s.The trial to free her became an internationally celebrated case, and the book reads fast and furious with twists that will rival any novel." --Rodney Knolton, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Memphis, TN

The Empire of Wolves: A Novel
By Jean-Christophe Grange

"A blockbuster novel of international intrigue set in Paris and Istanbul. The Empire of the Wolves is a brutal and brilliant saga of one woman's fight against her fate. Fans of Frederick Forsyth, Robert Ludlum, and John Le Carré will devour this novel." -Emery Pinter, Chapter 11, Atlanta, GA

Welcome to the Fallen Paradise: A Novel
By Dayne Sherman

"This outstanding first novel reads like a chapter from a blood-soaked Old Testament, featuring family, revenge, avarice, a skateboard-riding, fire-and-brimstone midget preacher, and one man who attempts to make sense out of a world that has gone way beyond the pale. Truly outstanding"-Robert Segedy, Branch's Chapel Hill Bookshop, Chapel Hill, NC

The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
By Jack Canfield

"This book, and the ways this author advises us to live our lives, gets us on our way to health and happiness."-Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

Oracle Night: A Novel
By Paul Auster

"Oracle Night is an intricate web of stories within stories, an intriguing tale of love and intuition, fiction and reality. Auster's tale of a novelist and a mysterious notebook questions the depth of subconscious knowledge and allows the reader room to believe ... or not." -Dana Barrett, Coffee Buy the Book, Roswell, GA