The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin

 Although Garvin's book has a "Hallmark Special" feel about it, these days a happy ending is welcome.  Plus - it is about bees in Hood River, Oregon.  Alice is 45 and hoping that raising bees will fill the "love of the land" void created when her family loses the apple orchard they love.  But the work is hard and she knows she will need help.  Enter Harry, a lost soul with a record, but looking for a new way to be.  And then there is Jake, bitter and isolated. One foolish act ended his HS hijinks to begin life in a wheel chair.  When she almost runs him down one evening, he is added to the crew - and the bees lead the way forward for all of them.  There is a good bit of environmental conflict to add to the huge amount of bee information and life lessons. All raised up sweet as honey.  You knew that was coming.

Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner

 Our book group chose this because of the local connection but it has turned out to be a hit across the country.  Michelle grew up in Eugene the daughter of a white father and a Korean mother.  She did not make life easy for her parents and struggled with her mixed heritage.  Following her mother's death, Michelle wrote this memoir to explore that difficult relationship and to honor her Korean connection.  Now a recognized indie musician in a band called Japanese Breakfast, she is not afraid to expose all her flaws.  In the end her story is an example of the way we can break through our past mistakes, start over, and embrace all that we are.