Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon

Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon

Claire and Jamie Fraser have at last reunited with their daughter Brianna and her family in the year 1779. But the Carolina backcountry is not as safe as Brianna and her husband Roger had hoped. War looms in the Colonies, causing tensions to rise. Jamie knows loyalties among his tenants on Fraser's Ridge are split, and it's only a matter of time until such a split rips at the seams. 

Meanwhile, young William Ransom, Jamie's child from a long ago dalliance, is grappling with his true parentage, and his stepfather, Lord John Grey, is just as close to the war as Jamie.

Book #9 in the Outlander series. 902 pages.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Painfully beautiful" (New York Times Book Review) is the perfect description of this coming of age story set in the NC lowcountry. The author, who has a PhD in zoology, reveals the laws of nature and asks the reader to consider whether these laws apply to humans as well. Readers who enjoyed The Glass Castle will enjoy this book.

368 pages

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

It is 1778 and Jamie and Claire Fraser are unsure how things became so complicated: France has declared war on Great Britain, and the British army has fled Philadelphia with George Washington in pursuit. Jamie, meanwhile, has returned from what Claire and Jamie's friend Lord John Grey were told was a watery grave only to find his friend has married his wife in order to protect her. His illegitimate son has discovered the true identity of his biological father, much to the horror of both father and son. In the midst of all this, Jamie's beloved nephew, Ian, has decided to marry a Quaker. Chaos abounding, Claire and Jamie's sister, Jenny, newly arrived from Scotland, attempt to pick up the pieces. One thing the Fraser family is sure of, though, is the safety of their daughter, Brianna, who resides in the twentieth century with her family. But all is not well with Brianna: Her young son has been kidnapped by a man seeking the family's secrets, and Brianna's husband Roger has once more ventured into the past to find the missing child, unaware that Jem is firmly rooted in the present. With Roger gone, Jem's kidnapper is free to focus on his true target: Brianna herself.

Book 8 in the Outlander series. 825 pages.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie Fraser is a former Jacobite and rather unwilling participant in the American Revolution, but he chose rebellion because he was certain of several things: The Americans will win, though fighting on the side of victory would not ensure his survival, and the last thing he wanted to do was face his illegitimate son, a lieutenant in the British army, down the barrel of a gun. Claire Fraser, Jamie's wife, has assured him of victory---something she can guarantee because she is a time-traveler. What she does not know, however, is what the price will be. The price will not include Jamie's life or happiness, at least not if she has anything to say about it. Meanwhile, Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna, and her husband, Roger, reside in the relative safety of the twentieth century with their children. They have settled in Lallybroch, Jamie's ancestral home, and maintain a connection with Brianna's parents through a series of letters they were careful to leave behind. As Brianna and Roger comb the fragile pages for clues to the fate of Claire and Jamie, they learn just how closely their lives are linked.

Book 7 in the Outlander series. 814 pages.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

It is 1772, and the stench of rebellion is in the air. In the midst of war, secluded cabins are being burned to the ground not far from Fraser's Ridge, where Jamie Fraser and his family reside, and Jamie is determined to find out who would willingly commit such a heinous act. As chaos spreads, the new governor, Josiah Martin, seeks an envoy to unite the North Carolina backcountry and keep it safe for King and Crown. Everyone agrees: Jamie is the man for the job. But because of his time-traveling wife, Claire, daughter, Brianna, and son-in-law, Roger, Jamie is well aware those who remain loyal to the King will likely pay with their lives or end up exiled. Meanwhile, a small newspaper clipping foretelling of the deaths of Jamie and Claire in a house fire, brought to the past with Brianna, weighs heavy on his mind. For the first time, Jamie finds himself hoping his family may be wrong about what the future holds.

Book 6 in the Outlander series. 980 pages.

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

War is brewing in the year of Our Lord 1771, a fact Jamie Fraser knows to be true because his wife, Claire, assures him it is so. Jamie has little choice but to believe her because Claire has the gift of prophecy. It is not a gift she was born with, but rather the gift of a time traveler's dreadful knowledge of what's to come. Sure enough, Jamie receives orders from Governor Tryon to gather a militia in order to suppress the Regulators, a group of citizens dissatisfied with the colonial government. Given what Jamie knows about the future, he must walk a fine line as he supports a government he knows will eventually fail. Meanwhile, the Frasers, their daughter Brianna, and her family must face other battles far more personal than the revolution that is to come.

Book 5 in the Outlander series. 979 pages.  

"The Lonely Drop" by Vanessa North

Nick and Kevin were best friends in college, but they haven't been in touch in 10 years.  Now Nick is the owner of The Lonely Drop, a bar/restaurant in Asheville, NC, and Kevin works for his father's large company in New York.  When Kevin arrives in Asheville to acquire a business and hire new managers for the company, he goes to Nick's bar for a drink and dinner without knowing his former best friend is the owner.  Nick is unprepared to face Kevin again but does so with grace and composure, something quite difficult for him because of his unrequited love for Kevin.

I'm a sucker for unrequited love stories, and this one is very nearly perfect.  Nick is introverted and wants a serious relationship while Kevin is more outgoing and only has one-night-stands, but things change when he talks Nick into going out dancing.  Told from Nick's point of view, the author was quite eloquent explaining his feelings of loneliness and desire for a relationship with Kevin.  It was a very touching story, and I hope to read more from this talented author.  93 pages (Kindle edition).

Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews

Summary:  "Annajane Hudgens truly believes she is over her ex-husband, Mason Bayless. They've been divorced for four years, she's engaged to a new, terrific guy, and she's ready to leave the small town where she and Mason had so much history. She is so over Mason that she has absolutely no problem attending his wedding to the beautiful, intelligent, delightful Celia. But when fate intervenes and the wedding is called to a halt as the bride is literally walking down the aisle, Annajane begins to realize that maybe she's been given a second chance. Maybe everything happens for a reason. And maybe, just maybe, she wants Mason back. But there are secrets afoot in this small southern town. On the peaceful surface of Hideaway Lake, Annajane discovers that the past is never really gone. Even if there are people determined to keep Annajane from getting what she wants, happiness might be hers for the taking, and the life she once had with Mason in this sleepy lake town might be in her future."

My favorite part of this book is the Bayless family drama surrounding their family-owned business, Quixie, a struggling cherry soft-drink company. The soda drama is one I've never read before, and I enjoyed it more than I anticipated. Mason's sister Pokey, also Annajane's best friend, is the best character, and I wish she would get her own book: she's smart, honest and fights for her family. 

402 pages