Fortune's Daughter

By Alice Hoffman

Hoffman has a way of writing her novels that makes me feel like I'm reading a fairy tale...even though it's written in the present times and there are no princesses or evil queens. It's amazing how her style of writing includes descriptions that make me catch my breath and reread a passage I've already read twice. She usually does this at the very beginning of a novel to catch your eye and make you continue reading. Fortune's Daughter is no exception. I thought I'd read every Hoffman novel out there, but apparently, this one slipped through. I found it at our local library and what a find!

The main character's of this novel are two ladies who find themselves pulled together by forces outside of their control. Each is dealing with a loss in their own way and stumble across each other in their search for answers. As always, Hoffman weaves in flashbacks and vivid imagery to enhance the novel. Trust me, this is an oldie, but a goldie!!

Similar Novels: Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman and Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Length: 272 Pages

Copyright: 1986

Change in Altitude

By Anita Shreve
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I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again...Anita Shreve is one of my most favorite authors!! Each one of her novels keeps me enthralled and waiting with ever fiber of my being for her next novel! This most recent novel is no exception. Shreve delivered a novel that not only pries into the very heart of a relationship but also deals with the power of love to overcome loss and desperation.

The story centers around a couple living in Africa who are new in their relationship and struggling to get used to their marriage. After befriending another couple, they decide to summit Mount Kenya together. When an unforeseeable accident occurs and a life is claimed, the couple is left to deal with the fallout. The rest of the novel centers around their struggle to maintain their marriage with feelings of betrayal and mistrust.

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Similar Novel: All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
Length: 307 Pages
Copyright: May 2010

Matched

By Ally Condie
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Well, this book was written with 12-15 year olds in mind, but I absolutely loved it! Once again, it's my love of dystopian futures that made me enjoy this novel. It reminded me so much of one of my all time favorite novels "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. Go ahead and read both novels and tell me they don't have similar writing styles and story lines. However, Condie managed to keep the format, but tell the story in a new and unique way which kept me reading.

The story takes place in the future (not too far, but far enough) where the everyday aspects of people's lives are determined by numbers and percentages. Scientists have determined the best course of life for each person based on numbers and equations that will maximize their potential. People are sent to schools, matched with mates, and even told when they will die based on these numbers. It only takes one mistake during the main character's matching ceremony to interrupt the course of action determined for her life.

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Similar Novels: The Giver by Lois Lowry and Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brian
Length: 400 pages
Copyright: November 2010