Fiction Old and New

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Fiction Old and New on Accessible World. Meets the first Friday of each month at 8pm Eastern. Facilitator leads the discussion of that month's fiction title. Sponsored by Helping Hands for the Blind.

  1. Jun 15

    Fiction Old and New to discuss The Proving Ground DB133660 by Michael Connelly. 06/05/2026

    My review The Proving Ground DB133660 by Michael Connelly brings back Mickey Haller in a fast moving, gripping, and suspenseful legal thriller that will not let you sit still as you experience this compelling drama. This time, Mickey has stepped away from criminal law and is now working in civil court. If you are already a fan of the  Lincoln Lawyer series, then you already know that these books deliver nonstop tension, sharp courtroom drama, and stories that feel current and real, almost as if they were pulled straight from today’s headlines. If you are new to the series, you are in for a real treat because this novel easily stands on its own. From the very first page, the story pulls you into the courtroom and makes you feel as if you are sitting there watching the lawyers argue right in front of you. At the center of the case is Aaron Colton, a sixteen year old boy who spends most of his time alone in his room talking to an AI companion named Clair. Over time, Clair becomes the voice he trusts most. One morning, Aaron takes his father’s gun to school and shoots his girlfriend, killing her instantly. The tragedy sets off a lawsuit that raises difficult questions and keeps the tension high from beginning to end. Carrying her grief to the point of tears, Brenda Randolph, the murdered girl’s mother, hires Mickey Haller to sue Tidalwaiv Technologies, the company that created the chatbot. What makes her character especially interesting is that she is not interested in becoming rich from the lawsuit. She wants the company to publicly admit that the chatbot is defective and dangerous for children. Aaron’s parents, Bruce and Trisha Colton, are also devastated by what happened to their son and believe the company should be held accountable for selling a harmful product. They want the company punished financially because they believe that is the only language a corporation that large will understand. In court, Mickey approaches the lawsuit like a battlefield, believing every case is a fight for survival. As the trial unfolds, he must convince the jury that the AI companion made Aaron believe that drastic actions were normal. Standing against him are the Mason brothers, the defense attorneys for Tidalwaiv Technologies. At first, they try to make the case disappear completely. When that fails, they delay the proceedings and later offer a large settlement to avoid trial. But once they begin to think they might actually win, they withdraw the offer and push forward aggressively. The legal arguments from both sides become increasingly fascinating as the trial moves forward. The defense insists that the chatbot never explicitly encouraged violence. Instead, they argue that it only suggested Aaron should find another girlfriend so he could move on from the relationship and be happy again. Mickey, however, argues that the AI companion manipulated the boy into believing harmful actions were justified. Judge Margaret Ruhlin stands between the two battling sides, keeping order in the courtroom. Her presence adds another layer of realism to the legal proceedings. Rikki Patel, a longtime Tidalwaiv Technologies employee, takes the stand and changes the entire feel of the trial. His explosive testimony raises the stakes dramatically and completely shifts the direction of the case. What makes The Proving Ground especially compelling is that it is about much more than winning or losing a lawsuit. The novel explores whether the law can keep pace with rapidly changing technology and asks difficult questions about accountability in a world where artificial intelligence is becoming more and more a part of everyday life. No matter what people think about AI today, it is here to stay. For our children and grandchildren, it will become as natural to talk to an AI companion as it once was for us to turn on the television and watch I Love Lucy. In this book, Michael Connelly once again proves why he remains one of the best writers of courtroom suspense. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy legal drama.

    57 min

  2. May 14

    Fiction Old And New to discuss The book, The Book Club For troublesome  Women A Novel    by Marie Bostwick  DB130925. 05/01/2026

    This book gets a 4.3 rating on Goodreads with more than 100,000 reviews.   The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com.   The Meeting link is at heading level 1.   My review Come and walk with me as we step back into yesteryear. Let us turn to the year 1963.  That was the year that the book, “The Feminine Mystique” DB53797 by Betty Friedan was published and quickly became a bestseller. It would be hard to overstate the influence that book had on the culture of its time, as it urged society to reconsider the limits placed on women’s education, careers, and sense of self. In many ways, the book helped start what we now think of as the modern feminist movement. It encouraged the growth of organizations like the National Organization for Women and gave strength to groups calling for workplace pay and equality, reproductive rights, and legal reform. Even now, its influence can still be felt, reflecting forward into groups like the Me-Too movement.   Marie Bostwick is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She faithfully brings back those times and those attitudes with her absorbing historical novel, “The Book Club for Troublesome  Women A  Novel”, DB130925 which is a warm, character-driven story about women, friendship, and personal growth, blending historical settings of the nineteen sixties with emotional, relatable moments. At its heart, it gently follows women as they discover their voices and begin to step more fully into their own sense of being, showing how even the smallest acts of courage can slowly reshape a life.   As the story starts, Margaret Ryan, A housewife and mother of three has decided that she would like to start a book club. She decides to look at her neighbors and friends to see if she could find others who would like to be a part of her new book club. She first finds Vivian a former nurse and mother of six who thinks that she would like to be in the book club. She discovers, Bitsy a young woman who has given up her childhood wish to become a veterinarian to become a wife and home maker. She thinks that being part of a book club would be fun. Lastly, she finds Charlotte, A wife and mother who is also an aspiring artist.  She joins the club with the others. their first meeting is held at Margaret’s home. She prepares the food for the club meeting with care, and as they sit together eating and talking These women all know that they have The American Dream resting in the palm of their hand, A husband, children, a home in the suburbs and a new car in the driveway. They all have been taught that they should be happy and satisfied with their lives. However, deep down inside of their subconscious mind there is a little voice that whispers, there should be more. At the first meeting, they enjoy a splendid evening drinking wine and visiting with each other, they decide that the first book that they will read for their new book club will be “The Feminine Mystique”,   At  the next book club meeting, they find that they are all so excited by the concepts in Betty Friedan’s book that they name themselves the Bettys. They do not realize that the power of the innovative ideas in this book will over the coming years slowly change the landscape of each of their lives. —   Reading The Book “the Book Club for Troublesome Women” ,is more than just a pleasurable way to spend a few hours, it is a unique experience.

    1h 1m

  3. Apr 12

    Fiction Old and New to discuss The sunshine sisters DB88188 by Jane Green. 04/03/2026

    The Fiction Old And New reading group meets the first Friday of each month. On Friday, April 3 , 2026 at 8 PM Eastern we will discuss The book, The sunshine sisters DB88188 by Jane Green. This book gets a 4.35 rating on “Good Reads” with more than eighty five thousand  reviews.   The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com.   The Bookshare link to this title and the Zoom Meeting link can be found below.   My review Jane Green is a “New York Times” bestselling author with more than twenty-three titles to her name. She writes in a warm and welcoming voice that explores the lives of contemporary women and the complicated bonds of family. In her novel “The Sunshine Sister” DB88188, she weaves a vivid story about three sisters growing up in the shadow of a famous mother.  She creates characters who are imperfect yet vividly alive, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Through these characters she draws the reader into a story that gently explores forgiveness, family ties, and the enduring power of love. At the center of the novel stands Ronni Sunshine, who as a young girl dreamed of becoming a movie star. She always believed that she had the talent to become successful, and she swore that when her chance for stardom came along, she would take it no matter how distasteful the step might be. After reaching stardom Ronni found that remaining a star was demanding and she had to work tirelessly to stay on top. Every day she had to push herself to be noticed in a world that required flawlessness. She had to be ambitious, disciplined, and always aware that her fame could evaporate overnight. Life in the limelight needed twenty-four hours a day effort, leaving Ronni exhausted with little time or energy for providing her children with the love and attention that they deserve.   While growing up, the girls always knew they were the daughters of a famous actress, yet their lives were far from the fairy tale people imagined. Because their mother was always working, the girls often lacked the love and stability children normally get at home. The sisters often found themselves competing for the smallest scraps of her attention, and sometimes even competing. This competition shaped their relationships through all their lives and added tension between them. As the girls grew into women, each sister struggled in her own way to define herself outside of her mother’s fame.   Nell, the oldest, grows into a quiet and lonely woman who finds it difficult to trust others with her heart. She escapes the turbulence of her childhood by building a simple life on a farm, where she raises her young son on her own.   Meredith The Middle Sister has spent much of her life feeling inadequate because of her mother’s criticism. She now lives in London and works as an accountant but struggles with self-confidence. Wanting so badly to feel valued and secure, she becomes engaged to an English aristocrat even though deep down she knows she does not truly love him.   Lizzy is the baby of the family. She is ambitious, and impulsive, just like her mother. She has built a career as a celebrity chef, a cookbook author, and a social media influencer. Yet behind the shining image lies a tangle of secrets, betrayals, and growing troubles in her marriage.   — When Ronni calls her daughters home for a week together, she hopes it might open the door to forgiveness and healing. Perhaps the time together will allow the sisters to rediscover one another and begin to mend the fragile strands of their family. But as they return home, old hurts, memories, and grudges surface. Into this already fragile moment Ronni drops a piece of explosive news that shakes them all.   The question at the heart of the novel is simple but powerful. After everything that has happened, will these sisters drift apart for good, or will they discover that they are still tied together by the invisible threads of love.   Bookshare This book can be found on Bookshare at the following link: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/2209896?returnPath=L3NlYXJjaD9tb2R1bGVOYW1lPXB1YmxpYyZrZXl3b3JkPVRoZSUyQnN1bnNoaW5lJTJCc2lzdGVycw

    53 min

  4. Mar 10

    Fiction Old and New to discuss The Things We Do for Love (DB116672) by Kristin Hannah. 03/06/2026

    The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com.   My review Kristin Hannah is a master of emotional storytelling, creating vivid characters whose hope, grit, and resilience pull readers in and refuse to let go. Her novels center on strong women who endure loss, fight for meaning, and find the courage to prevail. With more than twenty-four bestselling novels, Hannah has earned her reputation, and The Things We Do for Love (DB116672) stands as one of her most powerful books. The story follows Angie Malone, newly divorced and emotionally adrift, who returns to her hometown searching for refuge and purpose. As she works to rescue her family’s failing restaurant, Angie carries a deeper, private grief: her lifelong dream of motherhood, which now seems forever out of reach. Lauren is seventeen and growing up far too fast in a hard scrabble life  shaped by neglect and instability. Her mother can’t, or won’t, provide the care she needs, so Lauren leans on grit and ambition instead. She plans to graduate at the top of her class, earn a full college scholarship, and build a secure future with her longtime boyfriend, David. Then everything begins to unravel. The rent hasn’t been paid, eviction looms, and just as Lauren turns to her job for help, she learns her position has been eliminated. Desperate for work, Lauren applies at the DeSaria family restaurant. Angie senses promise in her and offers her a job. Lauren quickly proves herself hardworking and dependable, and a quiet bond begins to form. Angie, who longs to be a mother, and Lauren, who craves guidance and affection, find in each other what they have both been missing. Angie takes quiet joy in the small ways she helps Lauren, realizing these are the very things she once imagined doing for a daughter of her own. For Lauren, Angie’s steady care feels like the maternal love she has always wanted. What begins as kindness deepens into a bond that becomes profoundly meaningful to them both. Then everything changes. Angie and Lauren are forced into a devastating Sophie’s Choice, one with no good outcomes, only lasting consequences. A single decision has the power to scar both of their lives forever. Through insight and deeply believable dialogue, Kristin Hannah breathes life into Angie and Lauren on every page. The result is a powerful, moving, and unforgettable novel. You will love Mama, I guarantee it. Bookshare The Things We Do for Love can be found on Bookshare at this link: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/4571101?returnPath=L3NlYXJjaD9tb2R1bGVOYW1lPXB1YmxpYyZrZXl3b3JkPXRoZSUyQnRoaW5ncyUyQndlJTJCZG8lMkJmb3IlMkJsb3Zl

    57 min

  5. Jan 5

    The Fiction Old and New Discussion Group will be discussing the book, Culpability: a novel by Bruce W Holsinger DB131607. 01/02/2626

    The Fiction Old and New Discussion Group meets the first Friday of each month. The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com.   My review:   The book, Culpability: a novel by Bruce W Holsinger DB131607 is written as though it was ripped from these headlines from tomorrow’s newspaper.   “Self-driving car has head on collision with oncoming vehicle, five injured, two killed!”   As the story opens, the family’s self-driving car is gliding smoothly down the highway. Seventeen-year-old Charlie, a high-school athlete on track for a full college scholarship, is behind the wheel, texting. His father, Noah Cassidy, a successful mergers-and-acquisitions attorney, sits in the front passenger seat composing an important email. Behind him, Noah’s wife, Lorelei—an award-winning AI expert and systems analyst—works intently on a thorny problem on her tablet. Thirteen-year-old Alice notices her brother texting but is busy chatting with her AI chatbot friend. And Izzy, the youngest, has just sent a message to Charlie. Moments before the crash, she lets out a piercing scream.   The accident shatters the family in an instant. Each member is thrown into their own storm of guilt—wondering what they were doing, what they missed, or what they might have done to prevent the tragedy.   With the family in turmoil, Noah becomes desperate to protect Charlie from police questioning until an attorney is present. He fears his son might say something that could lead to arrest, indictment, and ultimately a trial that could send Charlie to prison for years.   In time, Noah and Lorelei decide the family needs to get away to regain some sense of normalcy. Lorelei suggests a quiet vacation on Chesapeake Bay where they can swim, rest, take in the beautiful scenery, and perhaps begin to heal from the nightmare that has engulfed them.   But when they arrive, they discover their rental sits directly beside a newly built compound owned by billionaire Daniel Monet, a major force in AI development. Night after night, helicopters arrive carrying guests to the lavish events happening there. When the family receives an invitation to a dinner at the compound, they decide to go. Once there, tensions rise, misunderstandings flare, and the fragile threads holding the family together begin to fray.   During the party, Charlie and Eurydice Monet, Daniel Monet’s daughter, discover a romantic spark between them. By the end of the night, the two teens have vanished. A frantic search begins, and it is soon learned that they slipped away to go sailing in the bay during a midnight storm. As families and search crews scour the waters, both households are tormented by the fear that the worst has already happened.   In this novel Holsinger  has created a beautiful tapestry in many colors using the threads of family drama, Artificial Intelligence, and moral questions. Bookshare You can find this book on Bookshare at this link: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/6712974?returnPath=L3NlYXJjaD9tb2R1bGVOYW1lPXB1YmxpYyZrZXl3b3JkPWN1bHBhYmlsaXR5

    1 hr

  6. 12/15/2025

    The Fiction Old and New Discussion Group discussing the book, A Redbird Christmas: a novel, DB58836 by Fannie Flagg. 12/05/2025

    The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com. This book can be found on Bookshare at this link: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/2911709?returnPath=L3NlYXJjaD9tb2R1bGVOYW1lPXB1YmxpYyZrZXl3b3JkPUElMkJSZWRiaXJkJTJCQ2hyaXN0bWFz My review: My first introduction to Fannie Flagg was through her novel, Fried Green Tomatoes, so I  knew what a gift she has for making small towns and the ordinary people like you and me in them come alive with warmth, humor, and kindness. That is why I selected her Christmas book , A Redbird Christmas: a novel, DB58836. In this book she crafted a story that will lift your spirits and remind you of the magic of second chances.   Oswald Campbell is sitting across from his doctor when he hears the worst news of his life: his lungs are failing, and time is running out. The doctor suggests that while nothing can stop what is coming, Oswald might buy himself a little more time if he leaves Chicago for somewhere with cleaner air. But where could he possibly go? Chicago is all he has ever known until the doctor hands him a pamphlet for a lodge in a little place called Lost River, Alabama. The lodge turns out to be long closed, but a kind woman in town offers to rent Oswald a room in her house.   With nothing left to lose, he heads south. What he expects to be a short stay soon becomes something more, as the people of Lost River welcome him as one of their own. To his surprise, Oswald finds friendship, belonging, and even the beginning of love especially through their bond with a little crippled girl and the beloved redbird, Jak. With their help, Oswald uncovers a side of himself he never knew existed: one that still has room for joy, hope, and friends.   Only Fannie Flagg could bring a town like Lost River to life the way she does here. Her storytelling blends humor, tenderness, and everyday detail so flawlessly that by the end, you feel as if you have lived there.

    1h 3m

  7. 10/06/2025

    Fiction Old and New will be discussing the book, The widower’s wife: a thriller by Cate Holahan DB128362.

    On 10.3.2025 at 8 PM Eastern we will be discussing the book, The widower’s wife: a thriller by Cate Holahan DB128362. The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com. My review: The widower’s wife: a thriller DB128362 is an intriguing thriller that grabbed hold of me from the start and wouldn’t let me go. Ana Bacon is a wife and mother. Her husband, Tom Bacon, is struggling under the weight of financial troubles. Then he takes out a five-million-dollar life insurance policy on Ana, with a double indemnity clause.01 Then, shortly later, during what should have been a romantic cruise, Ana goes overboard. Her body was never recovered. Was it a tragic accident? A heartbreaking suicide? A cold-blooded murder? Or… Was it something else? That’s when Ryan steps in. He is an insurance investigator with a sharp eye, and a tough refusal to settle for easy answers. As he investigates, he begins to uncover secrets, lies, and a marriage that may not have been what it appeared. Each chapter leads you closer to the truth, but the truth keeps shifting. The author builds tension, weaving a web of secrets, and shifting timelines that keep you guessing. The story moves between past and present, between Ana’s voice and Ryan’s search, tightening the suspense with each move. If you enjoy thrillers where nothing is quite what it seems, The Widower’s Wife is a book you will want to read.

    59 min

  8. 09/11/2025

    The Fiction Old and New book group is thrilled to welcome back acclaimed author Tracey Lange to discuss her wonderful third novel, “What Happened to the McCrays?”, DB 128432. 09/05/2025

    on Friday, September 5, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.  Please join us to welcome Tracey back and don’t forget to bring your questions and comments. The BARD annotation is below. Unfortunately, this book is not available on Bookshare.   Our facilitator for this meeting will be Michelle Bernstein, hamletsweetlady@gmail.com. BARD annotation What happened to the McCrays? DB128432 Author: Lange, Tracey Reading Time: 10 hours, 29 minutes Read by: Németh-Parker, Stephanie, DeMeritt, William Subjects: Family, Romance   “When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him: his father, his employees, his friends–not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone. The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. When he’s presented with an opportunity for redemption as the coach of the floundering middle school hockey team, he begins to find compassion in unexpected places. Kyle even considers staying in Potsdam, but that’s only possible if he and Casey can come to some kind of peace with each other.”– From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.   New York : Macmillan, 2025. Bookshare This book is not available on Bookshare.   Beginning with the October meeting, LeDon has volunteered to facilitate the group.

    1h 21m
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Fiction Old and New on Accessible World. Meets the first Friday of each month at 8pm Eastern. Facilitator leads the discussion of that month's fiction title. Sponsored by Helping Hands for the Blind.

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