The Lager Queen of Minnesota: A Novel / Ryan Stradal / 353 pages

The novel tells the story of two sisters, one selfless and the other driven. Edith, the
selfless sister, almost always thinks of others first, especially her orphaned
granddaughter, Diana. Helen, the driven sister, cheats Edith out of her half of an
inheritance, marries for advantage and is passionate about brewing beer. Neither
sister has spoken to the other in decades. The writing and setting is reminiscent
of Garrison Keillor and his Lake Wobegon stories, although the tone is a bit heavier
in places. The author gives enough information about brewing to make you want a
frosty cold one, but not so much that it becomes technical and tedious. Overall,
a story worth reading.

First Comes Love/Emily Giffin/384 pgs.

Sisters Josie and Meredith are opposite personalities as is often the case with siblings. Now in their late thirties, each has chosen a different path. Josie is single, and is a grade school teacher. Meredith is married, has a young daughter, and is a lawyer. Both are discontented with aspects of their lives. They are rapidly approaching the fifteen year anniversary of a tragedy that tore apart their family. In alternating chapters, Josie and Meredith describe their lives and how they see their relationship with each other. It's a thought provoking novel that gives insight into family dynamics--especially families who have suffered a tragedy, and the guilt that tragedy evokes. Recommended!

Sister/Rosamund Lupton/319 pgs.

Bee receives a phone call from her mother that her younger sister, Tess, has gone missing. Bee feels certain that Tess will soon reappear, because, after all, Tess is the "flighty" one. Nevertheless, Bee returns to London to await her sister's return. When Tess turns up dead, the police rule it a suicide. Bee doesn't accept this, and sets out to prove that Tess was murdered. Told in Bee's voice, this book grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the end--with a surprise thrown in to wrap it up. Highly recommended!