The Invisible Bridge
by Julie Orringer
9781400041169
Reviewed by Kate Jensen, Northshire Bookstore Bookseller:
"Beautiful, heartbreaking, epic - this novel pulls you into a story of hope and tragedy that makes you fall in love with the characters and remain riveted from page to page. I highly recommend this book to almost everyone." ...more

Betsy Ross and the Making of America
by Marla R. Miller
9780805082975
Reviewed by Bill Lewis, Northshire Bookstore Bookseller:
"A trifecta of excellence. 1.)Brilliant story of a long and eventful life that historians thought could not be recovered. 2.) Vibrant portrait of a city in transition from the colonial period through the tumult of war and into the early republican era. 3.) Classic study of an extended family that made and remembered history." ...more

Perfect Reader

by Maggie Pouncey

Maggie Pouncey has thoughtfully written her debut novel, Perfect Reader. Perfect Reader paints a very rich, interior picture of the main character, Flora Dempsey.The story follows Flora as the young daughter of a college President at a fictional and prestigious college in New England. We watch Flora come of age as she blossoms into a young adult on this idyllic campus and later into a grown woman, inheriting her father’s house and a collection of poetry. We learn that her father's poetry was secretly written for a girlfriend, who had, until that point, been unknown to Flora.

Maggie Pouncey creates a complicated situation to write about as Flora returns home to the college campus on which she had grown up, grappling with both her grief and her awareness of her parents having individual lives. Flora struggles in her role as Literary Executor of her father’s very personal, private poetry while the blogs clamor for publication after someone on campus leaks the information of their existence. Wonderful descriptions of poetry and appreciation of poetry are revealed throughout the novel. Perfect Reader is a richly detailed, vividly imagined first novel.  More Info

Whether you are first time visitor or a long time New Englander, here are  some terrific, new travel guides to help you plan your next New England vacation or weekend getaway. Find some of the best places to stay, things to do, or places to eat in New England.

Planning a trip to Maine? Whether you're after a day at the beach with the kids, a remote hideaway, or the outdoor adventures of hiking, biking, or paddling, Maine truly offers something for everyone. There are two new book releases covering the breathtaking coast of Maine as well as the natural wonders and wildlife of Acadia National Park.

Food connoisseurs, will get a special delight in two new books covering the best eateries and restaurants in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Indulge yourself in traditional New England cuisine and the fresh taste of seafood in New England.

The Red Thread by Ann Hood

Ann Hood, the bestselling author of The Knitting Circle, has written a beautiful and tender new novel showing the links between parents and their children. The protagonist, Maya Lange, runs the Red Thread Adoption Agency in Rhode Island, which is named according to the Chinese legend that every child is linked at birth with a red thread to all of the people who will ever be important to them.  Destiny shortens the length of the red thread over time, until the child meets all of these people. Maya takes great joy in connecting families to their adoptive children, but wages her own personal fight against heartache. This remarkable novel by Ann Hood follows Maya and a group of families through the registration and long waiting process, and alternates with the stories behind the birth of each little girl in China, and her journey to the orphanage. It's delightful to watch the adoption process unfold from both angles, and see the role that destiny plays in connecting parents to the children they were meant to have in their families.

Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong

Author: David Shenk
ISBN:9780385523653

Reveiwed by Karen Frank, Northshire Bookstore Bookseller

"David Shenk's book contains anecdotal evidence which will rock your world. Ted William's was NOT naturally gifted, nor was Mozart or Beethoven. The reason the Suzuki method produces such amazing results in young children is carefully explained. The book is written in a friendly style for the non-scientist but the second half consists of copious footnotes further explanations, bibliographies and other source materials if the reader wants more in-depth information and examples. Truly fascinating news for those of us who struggle to be creative."