As a young teenager Ian Manuel was sentenced to life in prison without parole and spent years in solitary confinement. This is the story of his upbringing, his crime, the draconian punishment he received and how Equal Justice Initiative eventually took his case and helped to free him. I listened to the audio, which Ian narrated himself, and found this a powerful reminder of how unjust our justice system is.

Thomas‘s life is made up of unending labor with every day almost exactly like the last and no real hope for something more. When a Hollywood producer comes on the scene there is suddenly a chance that maybe life could be different. This is the quietest of the #bookerlonglist titles I have read but the writing is so detailed and evocative that what is at heart a simple story becomes so much more. This would make my shortlist with ease.

My nephew just finished reading this series and is really sad it is over. He would love recommendations for any similar books if any of you have any.

Thank you so much @AmyG ! My excitement startled Sergei out of his nap but after investigating he agrees that you are awesome! This has been long been on my wishlist and I am excited to read it.

Yes! A #bookerlonglist title that I loved! It starts off focusing on three women in the Ukraine, a scientist trying desperately to save rare snails from extinction and two sisters taking part in tours that match foreign men with potential Ukrainian brides. As the three characters become entangled in a scheme Russia invades and everything changes. I don‘t want to spoil anything but this book has so much to say and is so smart and darkly funny.

I loved this! After the death of Emily Dickenson the women in her life grieve the loss of her as they also decide what to do with all the poetry she left behind. This was so beautifully done. Gorgeously written, without a wasted word I think this is a book I will want to revisit.

A Chinese family in Malaysia spends the summer at their small family farm. There is a lot of tension about the farm and within the family. Amidst all of this two teenage boys forge a relationship. This is one of my favorites from the #bookerlonglist so far but the fact that it is the first in a four part series makes sense to me because it felt like it was building towards something that it never became.

This is probably my least favorite of Hartnett‘s books. She is still a must read author for me but I spent too much time annoyed with pretty much every single character before it all clicked into place for me. A light pick.

I went into this book about a Trinidadian woman who gave up her daughter for adoption when she was 16 expecting to really like it, even with all the middling reviews. But instead, after a solid opening, I found the book tedious. Not sure how this made the #bookerlonglist

Well I will be looking for something light hearted on my shelves to read next because this was just so hard on my heart. An autistic mother with a teenaged daughter when new neighbors move in next door and insert themselves into their lives. It drags a bit in the middle but I was still ready to jump into the pages and fight everyone for being so cruel and dismissive of Sunday.

Tom drops his daughter off at college and rather than driving home and facing his marriage, his health, or his career he just keeps driving stopping off to visit old friends on the way. He is not an especially likable character but even with my adamantly disagreeing with almost all of his views there were moments in his thoughts that resonated with me. I really enjoyed reading this but it didn‘t feel very Bookery to me. #bookerlonglist

John is a black man who trains horses on his ranch outside of a small town in Wyoming. When a gay man is murdered in the town the event vibrates through out his life in unexpected ways including bringing the son of his college roommate to stay. Percival Everett is in a league of his own and my only complaint about this book is that it is so short. The ending was so abrupt, I wanted another 150 pages.

I read this collection of both novellas featuring Dex and Mosscap in bite sized snippets after work all week. I have been feeling pretty burned out much like Dex so the quiet comfort of these pages was very welcome .
#14books14weeka. Book 14

A marriage of convenience between two academic rivals who argue and test each other but also show each other such care, respect, and support. I was here for it all- from the literary discussions and campus politics to the family dynamics and simple act of bringing your parter coffee every morning. This book was funny, sad, and unbelievably sweet all at once. Out on 11/11/25

Quick on audio but ultimately not for me. This was a look at class, wealth, journalism, and politics. Brown deftly gets you into the minds of her characters but even spending time in the thoughts of those with entirely different t perspectives from my own did not make me feel any more enlightened.

Somehow I thought I was going to stop at the halfway mark but there was no way. Cosby has somehow become a must read author for me although I don‘t really read high octane, violent thrillers. I still get drawn into the stories and care about the characters, including all of the Carruthers siblings in this book as older brother Roman tried to save them all. Once he made his first move, I could not look away. And what an ending! #camplitsy25

And now for something completely different…. I started this as a buddy read with a coworker while I was in a slump and had to focus it on it this weekend like it was my job. Over 700 pages and jn the beginning I was feeling every one of them- suddenly though it all clicked and I was there for it all the epic adventures, the violence, the vulgar insults, the friendships and betrayals. It was quite a ride.

The first of my #bookerlonglist library holds to come in and not an especially auspicious start. In the beginning I was hooked but then things went off the rails. There was too much going on and.then nothing was resolved leaving me wondering what I was going to take away from it all.

I started this coming off of a minor slump and was so relieved that it was so propulsive. A nine months pregnant woman trying to make it across Portland on foot after a major earthquake, cue the tension and anxiety. The pages almost turned themselves and yet I didn‘t looove this as much as everyone else at #camplitsy seems to. It was like a good action movie- thrilling in the moment but not overly impactful. Still a pick. #14books14weeks Book 13

I avoided this one when the buzz started but all of the Litsy reviews wore me down and I am glad they did. Such a wonderfully unusual book that sort of makes space in your brain and won‘t let you stop thinking about jr. A girl raised in a bunker with 39 other women. Why are they there? What was her life before? How does this impact every aspect of her being? You don‘t get all the answers you want but you do get a lot to mull over.

Every once in awhile you read a book that feels like it was written for you. This book brought me back to twenties self in such a powerful way. Long passionate talks about music while trying to figure out everything else.. I can see how many people might find this a basic love story but for me it felt like revisiting my younger heart.

No sophomore slump for Mottley, this book was every bit as good as her debut with perhaps an added layer of polish. A group of unwed, teenage mothers band together in small town Florida and provide each other the support that is denied them my their families and the community overall. They are still so young and making all the errors in judgement teenage girls do while trying to be the mothers their children need.

A man kills his wife and two of his three children, shocking the small island community where he lives. Twenty years his surviving son returns to the island forcing everyone to face their complicated feelings about what happened and what it means. This was so good. The emotions in this book escalated as layers to the story were uncovered until I was turning pages with my heart firmly lodged in my throat.
#14book14weeks book 12

A missing hiker and those looking for her, a case of overly high expectations I think thwarted my experience with this one. It was still a good book, better than average even, but I went into it thinking I was starting what was destined to be one of my top reads of the year and it just wasn‘t.

Another great #camplitsy25 selection and an important read about trans lives and experiences and how vital it is to be seen and accepted for you truly are. I didn‘t expect this to be such a hard to put down, page turner but I had to know how things were going to turn out for these wholly vibrant, imperfectly perfect characters. #14books14weeks book 11

Grief, regret, and longing. Ivona divorced her the love of her life, Vlaho, years ago but their lives remain entangled. He has remarried and has children but nothing about Ivona‘s life has turned out the way she wanted. When she meets a man their relationship upsets the balance she and Vlaho have obtained and bitter truths are revealed. Ivona makes decisions that I never would but I couldn‘t help but worry and read on.

Three best friends growing up together in northern England in the 90s - the squabbles, insecurities ,and devotion of girlhood friends alongside the difficulties of growing up and figuring out how to exist in the world as a girl. This was a raw story that doesn‘t pull its punches. It took me a few pages to be able to read the dialect but once I got into the swing of it I was worried about Shaz, Rach, and Kel and what would become of them.

My coworker is moving and gave me first dibs on the books she is weeding out and I chose this one. A short but effective read about a Korean woman as she experiences sexism in every stage of her life from the favoritism her brother receives as the only son to the inequalities faced when having a child both at home and in the workplace. This was the perfect length- the writing was direct and rules my emotions up to the last maddening sentence.

Well shoot,I really liked Wilson‘s previous books and loved the idea of half siblings were complete strangers embarking on a a road trip to find the father who abandoned them all. The problem is that there seemed to be only the idea of a story here. The characters were one dimensional, the journey itself was kind of boring, and the ending was so unsatisfying. Happy others seem to be enjoying it but I didn‘t like this one at all.

Chopin didn‘t run & hide!
Steven‘s father disappeared from his life when he 12. For decades Steven let his hurt and anger rule and never looked for him. Now that his own life is in disarray he is searching for answers. Steven talks to people who knew his father and dissects his own memories trying to understand what he couldn‘t s a child. The writing was crisp and at times I forgot this wasn‘t a memoir. Steven felt so real to me.

Cushla is tying to juggle so much from her alcoholic mother,to assisting the family of a student when his father is severely beaten while living near Belfast during the Troubles. Adding an affair with an older, married man creates even more stress. The affair is more icky than romantic and I‘d have preferred it have less of a focus but I felt such a sense of dread wondering which of the balls she was juggling would drop first. #14books14weeks 10

As soon I could today, I sat down and finished this book after today‘s #camplitsy discussion. I loved this. It surprised me at every turn from beginning to end. A book within a book that is half sci fi tale about robots but always supremely human, it covers a lot but it to me it all distilled down to the power of shared stories to bring us together as well as the courage to write our own stories. So lolling forward to next week‘s conversation.

I could not have loved this book more. Two teenage girls in the 1970s experiencing their first loves, with other girls. They both choose different paths, one embracing her sexuality and the other trying to deny it. This book was devastating and beautiful and just gorgeously written. I will be spending the rest of the year trying to force everyone I know to read it, starting with all of you. All the stars.

Frank is summoned by the alcoholic father he has met only a few times in his 16 years, and who managed to disappoint him every time. He learns that his father is dying and wants Frank to take him to his final resting place. During their days together Frank learns who his father is and gains an understanding of his own life. It seemed like a simple, straightforward story until I grasped the torrent of the emotions pouring out of me. Loved it.

I started this book concerned when I wasn‘t immediately drawn in. I ended the book with tears streaming down my face. Taylor Jenkins Reid got me again.

Three menopausal women coming into powers that use to help solve crimes perpetrated against other women- this was the story of female anger I was looking for. Heavy handed at times but still just deliciously fun. Allso please meet Sergei. I am fostering him and his brother for a bit. Sergei is mostly ok with being a book model. His brother will have none of it.

This wasn‘t the book I wanted it to be. I wanted more about the anger that ignited women, driving them to become fire breathing creatures. What I got was a sad and confused young narrator and a story involving dragons that managed to be kind of boring and repetitive. I had really been looking forward to this one.
#14books14weeks. Book 7

When the local community center becomes in jeopardy of closing an eccentric cast of characters come together to help each other and to help save the place that is so vital to them and their neighborhood. Funny and light but this book still managed to rig on my heart strings. Clare Pooley is very adept at hitting that sweet spot.

A father who loves his daughter more than anything and has to deal with his own helplessness in the face of that love looks towards the mystery of messages found in the pockets of items of clothing he recently purchased on line. Everett‘s books are all so different outside of all being well written and deeply smart. This book was all of that and also sharply moving with its main character who is lost and looking for something he can control.

I went into this book knowing very little about its plot. I am really happy about that because following where the pages took me and how they unfolded Vivek‘s story was such an emotional journey and I was better able to focus on each moment and revelation. Yes, this book was about Vivek‘s death but more importantly it was about the life and love surrounding that death. #14books14weeks book 5

15 year old Wren lives in the West Virginia mountains. She is cut off from the world by her snake handling preacher father. Her mother‘s true soul mate is her best friend who has pledged to always stay close and protect her. As a series of tragedies occur Wren starts to unravel all of the secrets of her family and emerge from her seclusion. I really liked this. Vivid characters and the story unwound in ways that surprised me. #14books14weeks book4

While I could‘ve done without the unrelenting pop culture references, this look at the current Supreme Court and their polarizing decisions made for a fascinating listen. I am not a regular listener of the Strict Scrutiny podcast but I will be now.

I wanted to love this as much as everyone else seems to but Backman is a bit hit or miss for me. While this contained lovely messages about friendship and art I could feel Backman pulling the strings trying to wrestle my emotions where he wanted them.

Why didn‘t this book make the #wpf25 shortlist?!Joseph is a young journalist just starting out in the 1920s. He thinks that he has gotten the chance of a lifetime when his favorite, notoriously reclusive, artist invites him to stay. When Joseph arrives he learns the invitation actually came from his niece and she convinces her uncle to allow him to stay. All three are passionate about art but their time together will have lasting impact. So good!

The story of two teens who find the friendship they desperately need in high school and how a dramatic occurrence and also the passing of time both changes that relationship and doesn‘t. Bunny and Michael were such well crafted characters that the plot seemed secondary to me. I just felt like I knew these kids and worried about them. #14books14weeks book 3

Set in 1926 Australia, Tom and Isabel live on a remote island where he is the lighthouse keeper. Isabel has suffered multiple miscarriages when a boat arrives carrying a dead man and a living baby girl. When Tom goes to report the incident Isabel convinces him to say nothing so that they can raise the child as their own. I was so irritated with them both as I read this but couldn‘t deny that I was emotionally invested in seeing what was to come.

Hendrix is independent and driven. She is focused on her career and her mother whose Alzheimer‘s is progressing. Getting involved with Maverick could both impact her career and her independence but she might have finally found someone who is actually worth compromising for. As always I am thankful for Kennedy Ryan and the complex, amazing characters she creates and her stories that are full of emotion but still make me swoon.

The first half really lulled me into thinking I would end up really liking this book and the second half had me mildly annoyed but still curious until the last 50 pages made me want to stomp my feet like a child I was so frustrated. Really looking forward to #camplitsy25 discussions,
Book 2 of #14books14weeks

I was across the country visiting family for a few days and when I returned I was exhausted but wanted to start on #14books14weeks so I picked this one off of my stack. I have never read manga before and heard such great things about this title. It was definitely cute but I won‘t be reading the rest of the series. Light pick.

I understand the disappointment some are expressing about this book. When you pick up a new Emily Henry you expect top tier romance and this is barely a romance at all. And the romance that is there- not even close to top tier. All the Taylor Jenkins Reid comparisons are justified too. However, I cannot deny that I enjoyed every minute of reading this book.