The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

Title: The Lager Queen of Minnesota
Author: J. Ryan Stradal
Genre: Domestic Fiction

This book is written by a Minnesota native and follows the lives of two sisters from the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" don't cha know. Older sister Edith followed the more traditional path of marrying young, raising a family, and baking pies - a skill through which she ekes out a meager living. Younger sister Helen knows at an early age that beer is her destiny. She majors in chemistry so she can become a brewer. Though her mom disapproves, her dad secretly supports her goal and ends up leaving the entire farm to Helen. This one-sided allocation of the inheritance creates a rift between the sisters.

Will either sister make their mark in beer history? Will they ever speak to each other again? Can you read this book without wanting to have some pie or beer?

I would recommend this as a book club book - especially one that would pair it with a beer tasting or a pie social.

- Sarah R.

Check out The Lager Queen of Minnesota @ the library! 

Keep Me Posted by Lisa Beazley

Sisters Cassie and Sid have been close all of their life, but now Cassie lives in New York City and Sid lives in Singapore. The sisters have gone down different paths--Cassie is a social medial loving, busy mom to twin boys, who is struggling to keep the spark lit in her marriage. Sid is the mother to two kids, is a bit of a free spirit, and is also having difficulties in her marriage. When the sisters are together over the holidays, Sid suggests they stay in touch the old fashioned way, by exchanging handwritten letters.

For both sisters, exchanging letters has become a sort of cathartic, eye-opening experience. Filled with confessions, advice, and sisterly bonding, the letter writing project has had more of an impact on Cassie and Sid than they ever imagined...including, thanks to Cassie's lapse in judgement, their letters posted on a blog for all of the world to see.

Lisa Beazley's first book, Keep Me Posted, is a hilarious read for anyone who has ever had a sister and has experienced first hand the trust shared between sisters.

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

Jenny Tate is a wedding dress designer. She's in the business of happily ever after, so imagine her surprise when she finds out that her perfect doctor husband is no longer in love with her. Unable to say goodbye to her ex-husband Owen, Jenny stays friends with him, his new beautiful wife, and their adorable baby. Sensing this isn't helping her move on, Jenny decides to move to her hometown to be closer to her sister. After moving into a flat, Jenny begins to develop feelings for her Julliard graduate, piano playing landlord, who continues to tell her that he's emotionally unavailable.

Jenny's sister Rachel has the perfect life. Modeling her relationship after he parents perfect marriage is what she's wanted to do since she was a child. She's married to a lawyer, has beautiful triplet girls, has the home of her dreams, and doesn't think life can get much better, until she realizes that her husband has been sexting and cheating on her with a co-worker. After devoting much of her life to being the perfect wife and mother, Jenny realizes that enough is enough. For the first time in her life, Rachel has reached her breaking point, and those around her better watch out.

Kristin Higgins' If You Only Knew is a humorous book about finding true love when least expected it, standing up for oneself, and the special bond between sisters.

The Annotated Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Edited by John Matteson

Little Women--it's the classic children's story of the March sisters living in Concord in the 1860-1870s, figuring out their place in a world dominated by men. If you haven't read (or seen any version of the movie), The Annotated Little Women might be the version you want to pick up. Not only does this rather large book contain all of Alcott's Little Women, but the margins of this classic are peppered with notes, observations, and interesting facts about the story. Included are images from the movies, photographs of some of the individuals Alcott mentions in the story, and interesting tidbits of history that even the brightest historian won't know. Fans or first time readers of this version of Little Women will be fascinated by the information contained in this book.

Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of this book is the introduction by John Matteson. He spends quite a bit of time explaining how Little Women became the classic that it is today. Much emphasis is given to the time period, and the fact that Alcott's father raised his daughters to be enlightened thinkers, a rarity for the time. Matteson's forward also sheds light on how much the members of the March family were modeled after the Alcotts. Filled with fascinating stories about Louisa May Alcott, this annotated version is for true Little Women fans.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

New York Times bestseller Kristin Hannah's newest book The Nightingale is set in 1939 France. With the world set for war, sisters Vianne and Isabelle are put to the test as World War II rages through Europe. Vianne, the oldest of the sisters, says goodbye to her husband Antoine as he heads to the eastern front. With an empty house, Vianne quarters a Nazi officer. Life is no longer what it was as Vianne's every move is watched, forcing her to act cautiously to protect her daughter Sophie. Vianne decides to make a bold move when the Nazis implement anti-Jewish laws in France. Realizing that she can't just stand by, Vianne does all that she can to make sure Jewish children are safe, even if it means risking her family's safety.

Younger sister Isabelle has always had the rambunctious streak. She doesn't sit by idly as chaos erupts. She's never been afraid to speak her mind, even if it gets her into trouble. Life in war-torn France is no different. Risking her life, Isabelle, known as the Nightingale, takes in downed airplane pilots. She doesn't just make sure they're safe from the enemy, she actually leads them over the Pyrenees to safety in Spain.

The Nightingale beautifully tells the tale of two women in the French Resistance movement. Kristin Hannah has the ability to paint the picture of just how desperate World War II made people in this heartbreaking, beautiful story.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she decides to leave her London flat to her twin sister’s daughters, who also just so happen to be twins. The catch is that her inseparable twin nieces, Julia and Valentina have to spend a year living in the flat which overlooks Highgate Cemetery.  Throughout their year living in the flat, Julia and Valentina encounter the building’s unusual neighbors including Martin a crossword-making, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder suffering genius and Richard, an expert on Highgate Cemetery, who just so happens to be Elspeth’s former lover. Perhaps the most interesting inhabitant of the building is Elspeth’s ghost, who just refuses to leave. Through a series of events, the twins are forced to see just how far their bond will go.

Check out Her Fearful Symmetry @ the library.

The Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney

Sisters Anna, Bett and Carrie used to be famous singing sisters called "The Alphabet Sisters". Now, estranged and called back for their grandmother's 80th birthday party in South Australia. Bett started a new life in London, England far from her ex-fiance, now married to her younger sister, Carrie. Anna is in Sydney, and is quick to get back home to remember better times. And Carrie is still there, wondering if she made the right choices.

Family drama starts to work its self out, as more drama starts to unfold. Each sister has her own worries, and each needs the other even though it's been three long years since they've seen each other. If you are looking for a beach read with a bit of weight, get lost in the world of Moncia McInerney's The Alphabet Sisters.

Check out The Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney @ the library!

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Claire Waverly, a highly-sought caterer, has an instinctive flair for cooking and more – her food has magical properties. She’s a bit of a solitary recluse, living and working alone in the house where she grew up, and she is perfectly content with her lifestyle. Then her sister, Sydney, returns home to Bascom, North Carolina, after a long absence, and disrupts everything. She has a five-year-old daughter, the niece Claire did not know she had, and she needs shelter from an abusive ex-boyfriend. As the two sisters confront each other and the abuse in their own shared past, Claire is forced to drop her guard, which opens the door for new possibilities.

Sarah Addison Allen describes Garden Spells as Southern-fried magical realism with a love story at its heart. It also has an ornery apple tree that flings prophetic apples at people. If you like Alice Hoffman, you might also like Sarah Addison Allen. Now is a good time to read Garden Spells and her other novels The Sugar Queen, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, and The Peach Keeper. Her new novel Lost Lake, is set to release early in 2014.

Check out Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen @ the library!