Maiden Voyage by Tania Aebi, Bernadette Brennan

Tania Aebi's  father gave her a choice, go to college or sail around the world. She had been doing odd jobs, hanging with not the best of people, and not having any sense of direction. She chose to sail around the world.  Her dad bought her the boat and they worked on it together to prepare for her trip. She really knew nothing about sailing so it was really birth by fire. As she sailed around the world she met amazing people, saw places she could never have imagined, and learned that she could do this. People helped her along the way and it was a struggle from time to time, but she did it. She was pushed to do something outside her comfort zone and conquered it. If you want a sailing adventure this is a great place to start.

Birdology by Sy Montgomery

Subtitle: Adventures with a Pack of Hens, a Peck of Pigeons, Canterous Crows, Fierce Flacons, Hip Hop Parrots, Baby Hummingbirds, and One Merderously Big Living Dinosaur -- Montgomery loves animals. In this book she explores, in depth, many different birds and their environments. Healing hummingbirds, training falcons, dancing parrots. She really has a feel for animals and writes wonderfully about them. If you are curious, this is a fun way to start.

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern

The library is a wonderful place to go and people spend time there for many different reasons. Kit, the librarian, was seeking peace and escape from another life. Things were quiet and running smoothly until Sunny was put in her charge for the summer. Sunny stole a dictionary and the judge sentenced her to volunteer at the library for the summer. Lots of people come in and out through the summer searching for information and answers, many stories are uncovered. Wonderful people, great stories, and a great adventure at the library.

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

When you feel you have the perfect marriage, perfect jobs, wonderful children, what more could you want. When Sylvie and Dan find out that they could be together for another 68 years they start to question things. They want to bring spontaneity into the relationship and make sure they enjoy everything and don't get bored with each other. This leads to some sketchy situations and some huge misunderstandings. A very fun read full of angst and laughter. Don't worry about the future, enjoy what you have now.

The Island House by Nancy Thayer

Nantucket , what a place to spend the summer. Courtney had been going there with her college roommate for years and continued to make the trek every year even after she had settled into her career as an English professor.  This summer was a big one because the matriarch was turning 60. Lots of people, many different dynamics, high feelings, and memories from the past. All of these meld together for a wonderful read to take you into summer.

Once Around by Ward M. and Judy N. LeHardy

These folks had a 39 foot boat and sailed around the world. They took five years and experienced everything that they could. The places they saw and the people they met give us a very colorful book full of amazing stories. A great taste of adventure.

The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich

After her partner dies she found herself in Wyoming and unable to leave. All of the space, the rawness, and the freshness of the area made her want to explore not only the physical beauty but the inner beauty of everything around her. Her descriptions and feelings made you a part of the environment.  A beautiful collection of thoughts and feelings of being out in the open.

The Someday Jar by Allison Morgan

So Lanie thinks everything is just great with her life. She has a great man, a great job, what more could she want. As she is going through some of her things she finds her 'someday jar'. This is something she and her dad started and she had forgotten all about it. After Lanie almost chokes to death she realizes that life is short and she embraces her 'someday jar much to the disappointment of those around her. She is on a journey that has a wonderful end. Do you have a 'someday jar'?  What would you do if you found it now?

Along the Edge of America by Peter Jenkins

Jenkins decides to get a small power boat and go along the coast of America along the Florida Keys to the border of Mexico.  He learns a lot about boating and of the many small rural towns along the coast.  He spends extended periods of time living with people and getting to know the area and the ways of the people. He embraces immersing himself in those around him to broaden his outlook. It was an enjoyable read, a bit slow for me.

Zero Waste by Shi Su

Subtitle: Eliminate Your Trash, Simplify Your Life,  and Heal the Earth -- I really skimmed this more than read it.  There are many ideas on how to get away from single use plastics.  Some are difficult because of health regulations in stores, but it would be nice to see that change.  A lot of recipes for cleaning and washing.  A lot of good ideas throughout which I think many people are doing though we can all improve.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

This was a very good book dealing with what I consider a very difficult subject.  It follows three women from completely different backgrounds during World War II.  There is Coroline, a socialite in New York City who helps with the war effort.   Kasia , a young Polish girl who ends up getting sent to a work camp.  And Herta,  a doctor who works at a work camp doing experiments.  Their lives do intermingle and their experiences are so vastly different it is really hard to imagine the disparity.   This was a different perspective in looking at the war, very enlightening,  and something that should be read.

The End of Your Life Book club by Will Schwalbe

The title makes it sound a little more morbid than what I felt it really was.  His mother gets cancer and through her doctors appointments and treatments they share what they are reading.  They read some old familiar ones and many new.  They both read books they never thought they would and have a good banter between what they did and did not like.  She is always trying to get him to agree with her line of thought.  For something very difficult to go through they shared something that he will cherish for the rest of his life.  We are all going to die, how we deal with that reality depends on how well we all handle it.

Birding without Borders by Noah Strycker

Subtitle: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World -- What an adventure!  He does go all around the world and the birds he sees, the adventure he has, and the people he meets is just amazing.  I really liked how he met local people, used them as guides, and just got to know them, their families, and the culture.  You would need to be someone willing to step out of your comfort zone to do this kind of thing and he embraced it.  Even if you are not a birder you will enjoy this book, a great read.

In Buddha's Kitchen by Kimberly Snow

Subtitle: Cooking, Being Cooked, and other Adventures at a Meditation Center -
This is a very funny account of what goes on at a meditation retreat.  People may be trying to find peace, but they don't leave their neediness and opinions at home.  Snow gives you some insight into the happenings through her eyes from the kitchen. 

Foreign Eclairs by Julie Hyzy

Ollie gets in the middle of more foreign problems, murders, and excitement in another fun White House Mystery.   People breaking out of jail, bombings, murders, and she even gets mugged.  There is never a dull moment.  The way that Hyzy ended the book really makes me wonder what will happen next.  I was just a bit shocked.  You will just have to read it to figure out why!

Desiring Paradise by Karen W. Schlesinger

Subtitle:.....a true story of succumbing to the dream -- They fell in love with the US Virgin islands and that was where they wanted to move.  They created a time line, worked on financials, down sized, and had many interesting adventures along the way.  They were able to crunch the time line, they found a home,  they just had to learn to work on island time.  They packed too much, things didn't come, things arrived early, but they were living on island time.  Schlesinger did a good account of what they went theough, some good research, some not so good.  A funny read with some good lessons throughout.

The Borrowers Afloat by Mary Norton, Beth Krush, Joe Krush

A fun little kids book about a small family who needs to leave where they are living.  They end up floating down a stream in a tea pot.  They have lots of adventures that are both scary and fun.  This is a series and I would love to read to see what other adventures they experience.

The Hummingbirds Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

Taking place in the late 19th century in Mexico is a novel about mystery and superstition.  A young girl, Teresita, was thought to have been killed seemed to have risen from the dead.  She had visions, could heal people, and had thousands of followers.  It was an interesting book with many layers and stories interwoven.  It was a little long winded for me, but I am glad that I pushed my way through,

Confessions of a Hostie by Danielle Hugh

Subtitle: True Stories of an International Flight Attendant -- Not always knowing where you are waking up.  Not sure what the currency or weather will be wherever you land.  Passengers from all walks of life with very different expectations.  On top of all that you want to have a life.  A funny, and sometimes sad, account of some of her flying career. The jet lag and hang overs versus to new places to explore and people to meet, it is quite a manic career to have.  Hugh painted a very good picture of what it is like and if you ever thought this would be a fun career, read this first!

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

So, what does happen when we close a book? Are the characters still living their lives? Do they like each other or is it just an act? This is what is explored by Picoult and her daughter, Samantha.  A loner at school who would rather spend her days reading, Deliliah starts to wonder if she is going crazy.  Her most favorite book seems to be playing tricks on her.  She has read it so many times she knows it forwards and backwards.  What happenes next really blew her mind.  This is a very well written story about fiction and fantasy and what ifs. There is another book following this same idea and I can't wait to see what they come up with.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick

What a wonderful story.  Arthur Pepper's wife died a year ago.  He felt it was time to clean some of her things out.  While he was doing this he found a charm bracelet that he never remembered his wife wearing.  This bracelet took him on an adventure.   This adventure not only helped him learn more about his wife, but also about himself.  A great look a love, loss, growing, and letting go.

The Long Road Home by Mary Alice Monroe

This is the first book I have read by Monroe that does not take place in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.  This takes place mostly in Vermont.   A widow, Nora, is trying to comes to terms with the mess that her husband left her with.  She goes to Vermont in hopes of making a sheep farm work.  She has a lot to learn and there is an unexpected guest that is more than she bargained for.  This is a story full of wonderful characters, heartache, redemption, revenge, and love.  Monroe is an author that can make characters become a part of your life and she did it again with this book.

Freddy Goes to Florida by Walter R. Brooks

What a fun book.  This was first published in the mid 1900's.  When I read a review on the back that compared it to Winnie the Pooh in imagination I had to read it!  The farm animals are tired of how their farmer treats them and don't like the cold winters so they head south.  This is a wonderful adventure where you can't help but laugh and shake your head.  I can't wait to read some more in the series, there are 26!  Terry found five more on line.

Death in a Difficult Position by Diana Killian

Yoga is supposed to calm and center you.  This is a murder mystery that was funny, sad, and very enjoyable.  A new pastor moves into town and deems yoga hedonistic and tries to turn people against the yoga studios in the area.  Words fly, an old urban legend spooks people, and romance is afoot.  All of this is very well entwined and put together for a good read.  This is the fourth book in a series.  I am looking forward to reading the previous books to see how we got to this spot.

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Sunshine seemed to have everything going for her.  A cookbook deal and a show on the Food Network.  All it took was her Twitter account to be hacked and her world came tumbling down.  She headed back to her hometown in hopes of an escape only to be faced with her past.  The book was a bit whiney but well written.  A book about facing your past and being honest with yourself and others.