Kimberly Ruscitti

Night of Miracles (Random House) by Elizabeth Berg is a heartwarming story about the power of friendship and kindness in a small southern community. Each night before Lucille Howard goes to sleep, she begs the angel of death to spare her, as she has not yet witnessed her great miracle in life. Lucille, an elderly woman and longtime resident of the small community of Mason, Mo., is recovering from the loss of the love of her life and, despite her age, stays busy by offering baking classes to members of the community. Through her classes, she meets many different people, including Iris, her new baking assistant. Iris knows nothing of baking, but is running from a past life filled with regret, one she is able to come to terms with after spending her days with Lucille. Iris isn’t the only person Lucille helps during times of trouble or indecision. When tragedy strikes the family next door, Lucille begins to watch after their son, Lincoln, when his parents aren’t home. Lincoln and Lucille get on swimmingly and, through their mutual friendship, help each other heal during a hard time. Though Lucille still waits for her big miracle, what she does not know is that her kindness and selflessness has already created many miracles – great and small – for those around her. Worth noting: Night of Miracles is a continuation of one of Berg’s previous books, The Story of Arthur Truluv, though stands alone as its own book.

Jodi Picoult has once again taken a sensitive, polarizing topic and given life to each side of the argument in her latest book Spark of Light (Ballantine Books). The book takes place over one day, one in which a distraught father enters a women’s health center and begins shooting those inside. This story is about the survivors inside, including Bex and Wren, the sister and 15-year-old daughter of the hostage negotiator, Hugh. Picoult tells the story in reverse, with each chapter covering the period of one hour, beginning at 5 p.m., when the hostage situation is nearly over and most survivors have been released, and ending with 8 a.m. that morning. Though the format might sound confusing, as you know who lives and dies in the first few pages, it keeps the reader engaged as you slowly learn each person’s story and why he or she is at the abortion clinic that day. Picoult sets her story in a small, conservative town in Mississippi, in which there exists no gray areas when it comes to abortion laws and women’s rights. While the shooting and hostage situation are taking place, Picoult tells the story of Beth, a 17-year-old who is in the hospital and under arrest for murder after taking an abortion pill at home. The subject matter is a tough one – pro-life vs. pro-choice – but Picoult uses her unique characters to give readers pause, no matter what side of the issue they stand on.