Some parts I loved, some parts I didn‘t…but Selin is an interesting, observant, train-wrecky, endearing, literary, and creative character. Hats off to Batuman for creating such a character.

Rovelli mixes physics, astronomy, Einstein, Hawking, philosophy, poetry, and international science pioneers in a charming collection of essays. Not technical reading as the focus is the beauty of learning and curiosity.

The relationship between BF Feyi and Joy was fun and supportive. It‘s a page turner (steamy scenes as well) but the true romance of the novel felt rushed and focused on attraction like her other fling. Some parts unbelievable, other parts fun, but written well.

Well researched, but uneven. The most interesting portions of the book was when the author focused on one type of insect (bees, butterflies, etc) and explained threats and interesting tidbits about the species. The author repeated the dire warning that the insect populations are plummeting and the impacts of this in each chapter- I felt it was too repetitive and I wanted more specialized information.

David Sedaris delivers on many of these essays about Hugh, random interactions with others, and his family. Some are a little off, but he still makes me laugh and plow through his books in less than 24 hours.

Page turning? Yes. Stolen art during WWII intrigue? Yes. Summer read? Yes.
Though engaging, I felt that the prose was so plot driven, characters were not developed thoroughly and portions were unbelievable. Fun read, but flawed.

Listened to this one…it‘s similar to Elenor Oliphant but not nearly as endearing

Essays about family that are observant, funny, sad, and thoughtful. Philpott‘s children are slightly older than mine, so that could be why I felt that this memoir of parenting was so relatable and enjoyable. Perfect phrasing of conflicting emotions in various stages of parenting. This one was the right book at the right time for me.

This novel has a lot going for it but it took 132 pages for it to finally make its appearance. Some events were interesting and engaging and other parts were not believable or needed. It‘s a good airport or beach read, but missed the mark for more.

Classic Picoult- page turner with some twists and turns, redemption and some likeable characters. Not perfect, but a perfect airport read.

I truly enjoy Vuong‘s writing and think he‘s so talented. That being said, I had difficulty connecting with his writing or themes. I‘ll read his next, but this missed the mark for me.

Time travel. Science fiction. Multiple, connected characters. I burned through this one and loved it.

After read this book about the Constitutional history, Supreme Court and lower court stories and cases about the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, the right to privacy and the right to be forgotten, I don‘t know where the line should be. Gajda does a good job of presenting cases in which you see every pro and con of unlimited freedoms for any right. My only complaint is that it‘s a dense book, but it‘s one I‘ll ponder for awhile.

‘m not usually into magical realism, but this book was just the right amount of realism, good character development, good pacing of plot, and sprinkles of magical elements to keep me interested. It‘s not perfect, but it‘s entertaining.

Interesting book about the culture of gender equality in Iceland. Reid explains Iceland‘s social structure, policies that enable women and families to be supported and areas of growth for Iceland. It‘s not a perfect book, but it made me want to visit it for more than it‘s country‘s beauty and climate initiatives.

This thriller is told from 3 different POV, and unveils it‘s twists throughout the book in a decent clip. Enjoyable debut and it‘s a good easy read. Some parts aren‘t believable (and probably not even possible) that take away from the writing. Katie is a strong character and makes up for Helen‘s weaknesses.

I wasn‘t a big fan of the Good Squad, but I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Intersecting characters are given a chapter that changed in time and style to keep the plot moving in an interesting clip. Some characters are better than others, but overall this is a fun read!

This book is heavy. The ending is page turning, and the plot picks up speed mid-way through the novel. It‘s dark and uneven- I‘m glad I finished this one about a poor, gay boy in Glasgow, but it took a bit of effort to get through some dark events. Great ending.

This one took me a little bit to get into, but I‘m glad I didn‘t quit. The characters picked up steam midway through the book, through backstories and additional family members telling their stories. Good debut novel!

I really enjoyed this novel- it felt like intertwining short stories of generations of a family. Most of the characters‘ POV chapters I wanted to be so much longer (sign of a great book), and I was intrigued of how differently I perceived them from someone else‘s POV. Excellent and enjoyable.

Good historical fiction about the Depression and turpentining. Good character development and pace of plot. Enjoyable read, but not cracking my top 10 of the year.

I really enjoyed this coming of age story of KB throughout the summer of her 11th year. Lots for her to process and though topics were heavy, Granddady and KB‘s relationship had enough sweetness to make this novel worth the time to read it.

This book contains quite a few really interesting things/systems that trees do and have in order for forests to survive. The chapters are short and readable. My only complaint is that I‘d like an advice chapter on how to create a community of trees in your without needing an old growth forest. Informative, with a twinge on condescension randomly.

This was a 1000 page beast. It took awhile to get started and I contemplated giving up…but then something interesting occurred that sucked me back in. The book chronicles a religious sect in Eastern Europe in the 1700s through a lot of characters and points of view. Slow motion train wreck but well written, just crazy long.

Really enjoyed this quick book about growing up in Queens with friends who are like family. Explores the many directions that life takes people and the complications of making different decisions than those around you. Racism is interwoven. Well written.

A Yugoslavian boy is a refugee in Germany is part of the premise, but is the background for the best parts of this book. The boy traces his relationships with his grandparents, with his grandmother‘s dementia getting a starring role. The ending is so playful, that it deserves a 5/5 star recommendation😁

At times graphic, intense and tragic, this book somehow turns these events into a story of hope and kindness. I came close to stopping a few times, but am happy I stuck with it for closure on the street children the authors followed. Multiple characters are intertwined throughout the book and survival is shown in all its forms.

Great book comparing the similarities between the US, UK, and Russia as told through Fiona Hill‘s life. Interesting analysis about the government policies of all three countries in the 1980s and it‘s impacts years later. Very timely analysis of Putin and his ascent to power and how he uses his power.

I‘ve never understood why people memorize poetry until this book. It‘s the best poetry I‘ve ever read (I thought- that‘s how I felt!!) so many times while reading Gorman‘s exquisite words. I‘d put this book as one of the best books I‘ve ever read (although that list is kind of long😜).

I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel. It lost me a bit in the middle and I had hard time rejoining the plot line. Good potential, just a bit disconnected.

Girl, Woman, Other was my introduction to Evaristo and this memoir showcases her path, candor, and poetic turn of phrase. I liked her structure of the book, her woven themes and writing style. I especially loved her tracing of the path to her success- faults and successes.

This is a mix between a memoir, history book, tour guide, psychology and political analysis book. Perry visits a different city/state in the South and writes about that locales history or culture with intriguing anecdotes. Really, really creative way of telling the story of the South- it‘s similarities and differences, peoples and culture.

Just needed a brush up on some concepts, and this little book served that purpose. It did make me remember that chemistry (other than just doing the balancing of equations) was my least favorite high school science topic😜.

Life changing? No. Thought provoking? No. Beautiful writing? No. Perfectly written? No. Entertaining as hell? Yes. Engaging thriller that sucked me in.

There are some really strong parts of this novel. It was interesting reading the events of 2020 and remembering that chaotic year. There‘s a lot packed into this novel and some of it didn‘t work for me. The middle was strong, the intro fantastic, but the remaining portions brought this to a 3.5/5.

Memoir about losing her mother to cancer, her upbringing with a Korean mom and a white American dad, and her transition into adulthood. I liked her honesty about her complicated relationship with her mother and descriptions of Korean food.

This is an excellent history lesson of conflicts around the world, their causes, the buildups, and the effects of civil wars. Other than being terrifying and disappointing that so many people use power to make the lives of others hell, I learned a lot about the evolution of democracy and authoritarian governments. It‘s not uplifting reading, but readable and thought provoking.

I think any book that you don‘t want to end deserves 5 stars. Ford is able to write about her family in such a healthy manner- even when do much was dysfunctional. Her ability to see people for all that they are and understand who she is amidst that world makes for some good food for thought. I‘ll read anything Ford writes from here on out.

Like most short story collections, there are some that are fantastic and some that fall a little flat. There were some great ones in this one, but some that I had a really hard time getting into. King is a good writer, and I liked that each story was so very different. Some are 5s, but those 3‘s left a mark.

This could have easily been a trilogy. There‘s so much in here- family saga, history, relationships, generations- and it kept me interested for about 800 pages. The first 600+ pages are fantastic and are worth it to take on this epic. Great mixing of du Bois and black culture into the story line. I ran out of steam at the end, but that‘s on me- not Jeffers.

It takes an expert storyteller to follow a family (8 children) for 8 years- reporting on Dasani‘s triumphs and setbacks, schools, policies, genealogy, family members good choices and mistakes. The writing isn‘t voyeuristic- but empathetic; I rooted for every character. Excellent depiction of the tentacles of poverty and its impact on society. It was 500+ pages but I wanted another 200. Elliott deserves a book award and I loved it (so did Obama)

I hardly ever read poetry. This collection caused me to think “oohh…that was well said” or “that was a great observation” repeatedly. I‘m not sure that this is my genre of choice, but it was enjoyable to read a different way to tell a deep story quickly. Can‘t read 100 books a year if they all are 500+ pages😜

Dillard‘s afterward stated, “why read a book your kid is toting?” made me chuckle, as I read this BECAUSE my kid did. Dillard‘s observations of nature are beautiful and a smidge overdone, but I didn‘t love it because of that. I loved it because of the way her writing made me feel- soothed and calm. Maybe it‘s because she was so present caused me to feel the same. Beautiful.

This is the best title of a book I‘ve ever read. I thought it was about trucking in Alaska and why the road is so dangerous. It‘s really about two women processing their abusive relationships with the men in their lives and finding God. I think Joy is a mothertrucker, but it wasn‘t what I wanted and I couldn‘t get over it.

This is a forceful writing of history, essays, and poems telling the US history. I thought it would be a straight sequential history book, but it explains how slavery impacted music, church, justice, healthcare, sugar, self-defense, citizenship, etc. Each section was written by a different expert with poetry to introduce the next section. I like Caste more, but this is a solid 4.5/5.

I think this is 4.5/5 book. Easy to read, each chapter gives useful tips to how learn something new or improve on anything. Anecdotes about athletes, business tycoons, artists and “normal” people help explain how using analyzing expert‘s work, tracking data, using a 5 year journal, utilizing reflection and feedback correctly,etc can help everyone. Enjoyable and interesting read!

This was my 14 yo daughter‘s recommendation of one of the best books she‘s read! Lots of plot turns, “deliciously twisted,” and plenty to gossip about with my daughter. I read it in an afternoon, and was a fun, escapism read. It might not make you a better person or inform you on interesting points, but it will make you turn the next page.

Excellent reporting of the human impact of a factory closing in Indiana. I loved that Stockman, as a liberal, juxtaposes Democratic ideals with its impacts on labor. By following three different factory workers, we are given a wider view of the world than what we had when we begin the book. Excellent. (And that is my 100th book of the year, 5 years running!!!)

Meh. Some of the stories about extinct countries were humorous and interesting and others made light of a massacre of people in the name of colonialism. The author grouped the stories by theme, but I wished it was either by region or in chronological order. On ok read, but I definitely did my fair share of scanning.

This book includes 2 short stories and a novella. The pace of the plot of all three were perfect and characters interesting. Her endings to all three were worth the read in itself. Great debut book!