Ann Kent, founder of Book Group Expo

Whether or not you are already a fan of master storyteller Carlos Ruiz Zafón (The Shadow of the Wind), I think you will enjoy this stellar page-turner about the perilous nature of obsession, in literature and in love. Set in an abandoned mansion in the heart of Barcelona, a labyrinth of secrets, the magic of books, passion, and friendship, all blend into a masterful story. This is the perfect book group pick because there are so many topics for discussion--and, most likely, a little heated discussion at that! I'm so pleased that my own book group recently chose The Angel's Game. If they hadn't, I might have missed out on a delicious and complicated treat.

The old adage, "Wherever you go, there you are," or maybe the new age version, "Be here now," seems more than appropriate for this time-tested favorite of mine. When a group of international business and political leaders gather in South America to pay homage to an important businessman with serious money, they get the pleasure of hearing the finest opera singer in the world perform, but also become the targets of a revolutionary group's kidnapping efforts. A novel of beauty, brilliance, and magic, Bel Canto will always be on my list of favorites. -Ann Kent

This terrific debut novel by Kathryn Stockett (who lived through the Civil Rights era in Mississippi) is a coming-of-age tale about a young woman from an upper middle class, country club family in Jackson. When recent college graduate Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan gets a stint writing a local household hints column (without knowing anything about housekeeping), she relies on her family's black housekeeper for solutions. The assignment evolves into a book about the lives and challenges faced by black domestic workers throughout the neighborhood. This is a family story, a political story, a funny and sad story-actually, just a great story overall. The Help is a must for book groups who can discuss it on a personal or political level.  -Ann Kent