A Serving of Hope by Hisashi Kashiwai

In this fourth book of the Kamogawa series, there are six new tales of individuals who have come to the diner to have Chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi recreate a memorable dish from their past. Kenichi would like them to serve the miso soup his mother made for him every morning as he was growing up. He made a promise not to go back to his childhood home of Obuse until he is officially a lawyer, so it's been awhile since he's seen his parents. Meanwhile, Shiori wants to taste the onigiri that an old boyfriend made for her. Then Nagare and Koishi recreate a dish of kara-age (traditional Japanese fried chicken) for a man named Masaru who had it at a restaurant when he was young. A Serving of Hope is another enjoyable entry in the series, with one of it's strengths being the detailed description of the meal the characters eat the first time they come to the diner.

Stitched by Eli McCann

The six members of the Ogden Quilters Association (Betty Lou, Candace, Leera, Lucy, Alice, and Diane) are gearing up for a big competition--the SFQE--that is going to be held in their home state of Utah. The number of members in their group has recently been dwindling, so they are fortunate that Candace is able to recruit Byron (one of her employees) and Rob (a friend of Byron's) to join. Stitched follows the quilters in the year leading up to the competition as they brainstorm ideas for their quilt and each person's individual square. They would really like to win the competition, since the grand prize is a trip to Tampa, and they'd like to have bragging rights over their nemesis Patricia Davies, the president of the Logan Quilters Society. A cozy story full of humor and friendship. Read-alikes include The Story of Arthur Truluv, Friendship Cake by Lynne Hinton, and Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas.

The Little Shop of Merry and Bright by Jenny Bayliss

Casey Smith has given up on love after a video of her turning down a marriage proposal went viral. Sam, her ex-boyfriend, has continued to be in the public eye, painting himself to be a victim with Casey being the villain, although in reality it was the opposite. She now spends her time living near her brother, Sam and his two children and working at a department store. One evening, alone at the store during the Christmas season, she happens upon Margo, the "Spirit of Christmas Present." Only Casey can see Margo and Margo tells her that she will erase the infamous video, but Casey first has to see five alternate realities and, if after that, Casey wants the video to disappear, Margo will do that for her. Then things begin to look up after Casey meets Ajay, a policeman who has moved to the area and they fall in love. Will Casey decide to just move forward or have the proposal erased--possibly changing her future?

The French Illusion by John Grisham

Paul and Chelsea Tanner are on their honeymoon in Paris when both are kidnapped. Chelsea is soon released after her parents pay the $2 million ransom. Paul's family also pays that amount, but he is not let go. It turns out that Paul and Chelsea are the third American couple to be taken in the last few years. Who is responsible and what is their motive? The French Illusion takes the reader on the journey to answer those questions, in addition to outlining the CIA plot to free Paul and the other two men. While I have enjoyed the several Grisham books I have read in the past, this one is a miss for me. One-dimensional characters and a story that is too leisurely-paced bogged down any momentum the book had.

Swan Song by Charles Spencer

In this memoir, Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's younger brother, recounts them growing up together first at Park House, on the Sandringham estate, then at Althorp. Alternating with the story of their childhoods is Charles' story of learning of his sister's death and preparing to write a eulogy that turned out to send reverberations around the world. It's a heartfelt, honest portrait that I felt lost some of it's momentum with the alternating timelines. However, a worthwhile read for those interested in Diana and her life.

So, I Met This Guy...by Alexandra Potter

As Maggie is turning fifty, life is not going well. She lives in an old caravan on a farmer's land, penniless after she found out her fiancée Theo was a con man who took all of her money. Young reporter Flick comes to Maggie wanting to write a story about her situation and suggests that they try and find Theo so Maggie can confront him about what he did and Flick can write a story about it. So, I Met This Guy... follows Maggie's and Flick's journey through Europe (including Monte Carlo, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Tangier) as they try and track Theo down. It's the story of a blossoming friendship, good food, humor, and healing.

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett

The amateur drama troupe, The Fairway Players, are staging Agatha Christie's play The Hollow, but a murder occurs during the performances. Months later, lawyers Femi and Charlotte are tasked with sorting through emails and text messages of the people involved, since the person convicted of the murder wants to appeal their sentence. Who was murdered? Are all the characters who they seem? Follow along as the truth is uncovered...