Favorites -- 2008
Discover the top favorite books of 2008 in this curated list. Find must-read titles and hidden gems that captivated readers during this memorable year.
Book
The Shape of Mercy
by Susan Meissner
“We understand what we want to understand.” Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials. Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?
Book
Symphony of Secrets
by Sharon Hinck
Talented flutist Amy Johnsons dreams come true when she wins a spot with the Minneapolis Symphony. But this amateur sleuth begins to see devious motives behind her fellow musicians' many mishaps.
Book
Wounded
by Claudia Mair Burney
If a miracle happened to you, wouldn't you tell everyone? What if they thought you were crazy? A young single mother and the junkie she mysteriously heals find out the hard way.
Book
Zora and Nicky
by Claudia Mair Burney
What do Zora, a Black American Princess and Nicky, a blond haired blue eyed Berkeley grad have in common? Absolutely nothing except for their excruciatingly out of touch preacher fathers.
Book
Less Than Dead
by Tim Downs
When a grave is discovered on the property owned by the front-running candidate for the next presidential election, Nick Polchak knows there's more here than simply a forgotten graveyard. The town, the presidential-hopeful, and his wife have closets full of skeletons, but how far will they go to hide the truth?
Book
It's Not about Me
by Michelle Sutton
Annie has it all. But when her safe world is shattered, she is caught in a war between two brothers, both of whom claim to have her best interests at heart. Who will Annie choose? And will she finally come to know the One whose love will never fail even in her darkest hour? Will she learn the truth about life--that it's not about "me"?
