Luanne Rice
Luanne Rice is the author of 31 novels, including 22 New York Times bestsellers. Five of her books have been made into movies and mini-series.
Luanne was born in New Britain, CT and spent most of her life in Connecticut. She currently divides her time between New York City and Southern California. She is an avid environmentalist and advocate for families affected by domestic violence. Her first published poem appeared in the Hartford Courant. Her first novel, Angels All Over Town, was published in 1985. Many of her books take place in or have a connection to Connecticut.
Ms Rice delivers another captivating book, The Lemon Orchard. It’s a love story between two people from completely different worlds, but with a common bond from their pasts. The story starts off in Connecticut and moves to Santa Barbara, California.
Five years after a family tragedy, Julia, an anthropologist who graduated from Yale, goes to Malibu to house-sit her aunt and uncle’s house located in their lemon orchard. She hopes to start healing and move on with her life. There she meets the handsome, illegal immigrant who oversees the orchard, Roberto. She learns that Roberto is also trying to heal and move on from a devastating loss in his life. Their relationship starts off as a comforting friendship and moves on to something more. Julia then realizes that she might be able to help Roberto resolve the issue from his past.
Ms Rice is quite skilled in character development and sets a beautiful stage with her descriptive settings. She deals deftly with grief and loss, love, forgiveness and redemption. This book is also quite relevant as it explores the world of illegal immigrants and the struggle they endure to try to live a better life.
There are lots of new titles to choose from in our E-Book collection. If you’re a Cheshire Library cardholder, check out our Connect Downloadable Catalog for more ebooks and audiobooks. Here’s a sample of what’s new…
The Hero by Robin Carr. In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She thought she wanted to hide from the world, but in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it…and sometimes, you find a hero.
Big Brother by Lionel Shriver. From the acclaimed author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin comes a striking new novel about siblings, marriage, and obesity.
The Library Book by various authors. From Alan Bennett’s Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan’s Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they’re important.
Betwe
en Man and Beast by Monte Reel. The adventure of an unlikely young explorer who emerged from the jungles of Africa with evidence of a mysterious, still mythical beast–the gorilla–only to stumble straight into the center of the biggest debate of the day: Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they’re keeping…
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she’s going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He’s out there somewhere–spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night. and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for…
Oddkins by Dean Koontz. Blockbuster author Dean Koontz’s first novel for young readers, a beautifully illustrated and visually stunning story about a magical band of living toys who learn to overcome the fears we all face in the dark.
My Name is Mina by David Almond. Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work.
Summer’s over, and life is back to reality! If you like your fiction with a dose of realism, here’s a list of realistic fiction books for young adults (that adults can enjoy, too!).
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a about Sixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient. She has accepted her terminal diagnosis until a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life. (A movie adaptation is currently in production.)
Butter by Erin Jade Lange is about an obese boy everyone calls “Butter”. He is about to make history by eating himself to death, live on the Internet, and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online he gets morbid cheerleaders rallying around his plan. As their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. What happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn’t go through with his plans?
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth takes place in the early 1990s. After Cameron Post’s parents die she moves in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She rebels against the norms and her family decides she needs to change her ways, she is sent to a gay conversion therapy center.
Skinny by Donna Cooner is about fifteen-year-old Ever Davies. She is obese and has a cruel inner voice that never lets her forget about her weight or how others see her. She undergoes gastric-bypass surgery, a and makes the decision to start participating in high school life, which includes pursuing her dream of becoming a singer.
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson is about sixteen year old Nola who wanting a break from being known only for her sister’s cancer. Shae leaves Boston for a waitressing job at a summer resort in Maine, but soon feels as if her new best friend is taking over her life.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this wonderful debut novel is the story of two star-crossed misfits–smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.
If realistic fiction is your favorite genre, or all of these are currently checked out, take a look at just about any book from John Green, Sarah Dessen, or Lurlene McDaniel. You could also look for Wonder by R.J. Palacio, A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie by Matt Blackstone, Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones, or Tangled by Carolyn Mackler. This is far from a complete list, but it just might be the start you need.
Do you have a favorite realistic fiction book or author?
Ten favorite biographies and memoir suggestions for your book club to read and discuss:
The Cheshire Library Blog 