Coincidence by J. W. Ironmonger

Azalea is found wandering a local fair when she is just three years old. She is adopted, moved to Africa, and then returns to England. Her life includes a series of coincidences and she is determined to figure it all out. Do we have control of our own destiny? Or is everything in our lives predetermined? Are coincidences just things that happen? Or more?

This is also a love story. Azalea finds Tom, a professor who has studied coincidences. Together they talk (and talk and talk) about Azalea's life and all the turns it has taken.

I enjoyed this book and the ideas it presents. And the story of her life in Africa was intriguing.  I do think there were times when the author got bogged down in the debates about fate vs fact, and the author never reveals how he feels about it all. And the ending was not all it could have been. But it was an interesting read. -June

Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson

I needed a break after The Sellout. And this novel was the perfect selection. I read it in two days!

After the first few chapters, I thought this might be a little bit of a Chick Lit book. But as I read further and got more into the lives of the characters, I knew it was more than that. The book focuses on a couple, Lucy and Matt, and the chapters alternate between the two characters. When they meet, Matt is instantly in love with Lucy, but she is still drawn to Griffin, a man who recently left her and continues to come into her life when it suits him. The first half of the book simply shows how the relationship between Lucy and Matt develops, and they ultimately marry. Then things start to unravel. I won't give away any more than that. But both characters are flawed and both make mistakes and poor decisions. And there's lots of guilt and shame and blame to go around. And, like the title suggests, they tell lies to each other that they think their partner wants to hear.

Well written and a surprise - this is a debut novel by a man who is 67! I guess there's still hope for us to write that all American novel! - June

The Sellout: A Novel by Paul Beatty

One of the main reasons I belong to a book club is that we try to challenge ourselves by choosing books we normally wouldn't read. I am drawn to contemporary fiction, and yet our club pushes me to try more non-fiction, historical literature, and more. This book is like no other book any of us have ever read.

Sometimes as I read a book, there is a little hand in my head that is giving a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Do I like this book? Is it a good read? Is it well-written? As I read The Sellout, I would think, "This is weird!" or "This is the funniest thing I've ever read!" or "I hate this book. How much longer is it?" I was all over the place.

The book is satire. If you read it, do not expect your typical novel. It is all about race, and the plot (what there is of a plot) seems almost a minor part of the book. The bulk of the book consists of short vignettes that, for me, were amazingly creative and often hysterical. And the characters are a 10 on the quirkiness scale.

At my book club, two of the 5 members attending had read the book. Three started it, hated it, and quit. And one member didn't show up. I assume she had no interest in discussing it. And yet I recommend trying it. After all, it is the first book by an American author to win the Man Booker Prize! It can't be all bad, right? - June