Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I had difficulty with the MC Poppy's sense of entitlement. Sure, she was bullied in MS & HW (who wasn't), but other than that her life is privileged. It was more understandable for Alex to maintain preservation mode given the trauma in his formative years - loss of his mother and a dad who couldn't function after his wife dies. Just communicate people rather than keeping your feelings inside for twelve years!

Themes: gaslighting, agency and love. Isolated Mennonite women who have been drugged & sexually abused by the men in their society meet alone over 2 days to discuss their options - do nothing, stay & fight or leave. The novel records the thoughts, arguments, songs, fears, beliefs & hopes of the women along with August, a man who has been outcast by the other men who is recording the process. While disturbing, this is a compelling read.

All before college Malala became famous, won the Nobel Peace Prize, interacted with world leaders. This memoir is about how the shooting, the hatred toward her and the fame from her situation affected her emotionally as she was still coming in to her own. She had huge expectations imposed on her long before her brain was completely developed. She truly is an amazing person who has improved countless girls' lives all over the world.

Wouldn't necessarily recommend but glad I read it. Manod lives in a remote, Welsh island with her younger sister & father. She is smart but so sheltered from the outside world & has almost no one she can learn from. A whale washes up on shore & 2 English ethnographers arrive to document the whale & the island's residents. Her world expands immensely but her version of reality is greatly distorted by the perception of the outsiders.

A sweet read especially contrasted with current reality. Definitely character driven novel which was lovely. It's been a lot of years since the previous Mitford novel, but the descriptive writing brought it all back.

A satirical political mystery written in three distinct sections, set in current times with many flashbacks. The plot had some interesting twists. I was surprised by who died and later the cause of death.

Loved the vulnerability of the author as she reflects on the painful deceit of her husband, her divorce and her new beginning as she processed the “before“ and “after“ of her life. Great audiobook read by the author with a few extras.

This was the longest tall tale I've ever read. On the plus side was the descriptive writing. On the negative side were the unlikeable characters and the story that kept getting more and more absurd (especially the fishing and movie scenes). I really enjoyed October Sky and I know humorous writing is challenging to pull off, but this wasn't my cup of tea.

A family saga about Milly and Pip who drift in and out of each other's lives over the years. In many ways not much happens other than the daily life of these two characters and the close people in their life. However, the writing is so descriptive I found myself quite invested in the characters.

Life is complicated and messy especially when it comes to families who don't communicate. Add a layer of religion and gayness on top and you have an excellent debut novel! Also has one of the best opening lines: “The first time I kissed a girl my brother died.“

Such an interesting story about race, family and music with WWII set in the background. Highly engaging and well written.

Slow start but got more interesting as the main character Javier navigates college and work life. Reminded me of Yellow Face in that Javier gets caught up in embellishing his own story even though he vows to not be a hustler like his dad.

An inside look at being gay in India through 3 generations of uncles. Such a difficult life due to societal norms. The book got rather dark at times but ends on a hopeful note.

A fascinating novel about a piece of history of which I was unaware. This story follows several generations of a family who are Koreans in Japan. The first generation are migrants and the rest are descendants who never fit in or are completely accepted. Excellent writing which made me invested in the characters.

While not an easy read due to the subject of domestic abuse, this novel was so compelling. Couldn't put it down as I was rooting for the character to make it out of her situation.

Had the pleasure of hearing Damian Barr speak on his latest novel at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Genre is LGBT Historical Fiction; the story of Scottish artists Bobby MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun who meet at the Glasgow School of Arts & never are apart except when the war takes Robert away. The novel spans three decades & much of the UK and Europe. Though fiction, Barr did tremendous research in order to give proper dues to the two Roberts.

My first Abby Jimenez novel and it was better than I expected in that it had a bit more substance. I didn't enjoy the fantastical fairy tale elements but writing was descriptive with strong character development. Definitely not literary, but a good beach read.

An interesting premise in a novel by one of my favorite authors about the cables in the oceans that transmit information over the Internet. Though we speak of “the cloud“ much of the transfer occurs underwater. Topics include the digital age, connection, COVID.

A casual read with wise advice from a generous woman, Melinda French Gates, who is working to improve women's and children's lives in the U.S.

I truly enjoyed this book except for the last paragraph which didn't seem to fit with the conclusion. I'd rate it a 4.95 if I could. A beautiful story about memory loss, friendship, love, mathematical formulas, and Japan.

A selection for my book club that I've always wanted to read. While it wasn't the easiest subject matter it is important historical information. What I found most compelling was the story of Henrietta Lack's children. So much poverty, trauma, lack of education and medical abuse to African Americans.

This book had a lot of hype; while it was good, it wasn't amazing to me. Sort of funny, a bit heartwarming, but likely not one that will stick with me. There were a lot of questionable characters especially Tom's mother.

Through short vignettes rather than a plot driven book the reader is provided glimpses into the lives of a young girl and her grandmother who live on a small island off the coast of Finland. Descriptive writing with vivid images.

By far the best novel I've read by Fredrik Backman and one of the best novels I've read this year. The setting is never explicitly stated. My Friends is heartwarming in spite of people living difficult lives. The plot was unpredictable too. I knew it wasn't a happy ending for everyone, but it ended hopeful.

Though I love memoirs, I don't usually read ones written by actors/actresses. I listened to this book because I loved the show Somebody Somewhere so much. Jeff Hiller is as funny as his character Joel! Delightful listen!

I re-read this for book club and enjoyed it once again. Both the characters Molly and Vivian are delightful and their lives have similar parallels. Enjoyable for readers of historical fiction.

I like this author as a comedian and I liked the premise of this book: older adults in a retirement community who use their professional skills to solve murders. However, I had trouble keeping track of all the characters and the plot felt disjointed to me.

Jason Reynolds has once again written a prose novel that sounds like poetry. A love story for teenagers that is real and honest about relationships and sex. Excellent read for high school students.

An incredibly complex well-written novel that jumps back in forth in time and covers three generations of women between NYC and Ireland. Impressive for a debut author.

A good middle grade book with a male protagonist who struggles with a dilemma most kids deal with on a regular basis. Should he do the right thing and risk losing his friends?

After enjoying Call Me By Your Name and Find Me, I read this one. At first, I was not a fan, but as the story developed I enjoyed the nuances of the character's actions. We often are a reflection of our friends and they can bring our the best or worst in us.

One's first love will always be special, rarely lasts, never completely leaves ,and all subsequent relationships are colored by this one. Beautifully written novel.

Another beautifully written novel by Elif Shafak. Humanity is united by water as this story illustrates in the telling of Arthur who lives near the River Thames in the 1840s, Narin who lives by the River Tigris in 2014, Zaleekhah who lives in a houseboat on the River Thames in 2018.

A fun mystery. Great character development, especially quirky Molly. The plot was somewhat predictable although a bit of a twist during the trial.

A well-written book, but a bit too close to home with so much gaslighting.

Not the best written book I've ever read, but engaging nonetheless especially toward the end of the book. Genre of sci-fi with time travel.

Such a heartwarming book about love.

A quick read about the comedian Phil Hanley's lifelong struggle with dyslexia. As a former educator who worked with neurodiverse students, I empathized with the disservice public education did for him and the lifelong impact this had on his self esteem. I found the last half of the book somewhat repetitive, but this may be a great read for an older dyslexic teen who has been beaten by the system.

A slow starter for me, but the excellent writing drew me back in after leaving the book and reading several others before picking it back up. Having lived in rural MA I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the setting of which the book is centered around over hundreds of years. In spite of all the damage humans can cause, the Earth is rather resilient and nature long outlasts those who inhabit a certain place.

The third book by Raynor Winn continues addressing the power of walking, homelessness, climate change, the need for biodiversity, and living with someone with a terminal illness. I was torn between wanting to know how it ended and not wanting the book to end. Fortunately, the author has a fourth book coming out later this year. Highly recommend all 3 of Winn's books.

A somewhat predictable plot, but still enjoyable for a light humorous read. Set in Ireland, it's the story of 3 generations, Millie who at 83 is getting quirkier as she becomes more forgetful, her son Kevin who is unemployed, and 16-year old Aideen, a rebellious teen.

Really enjoyed this memoir of a couple who lose everything that matters (their house, his health) except each other. They walk the southwest coast of England when they nowhere else to go or nothing to do. I am going to read the sequel immediately and look forward to the movie coming out based on the book.

A well-written middle grade novel that deals with the results of trauma, abandonment and the foster system failing children.

One of my favorite middle grade novels was Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan. This one was equally as sweet and hopeful. A good read for any kid who feels different or has issues in their life well out of their control.

I think I have read all or nearly all of Anne Tyler's novels and this one wasn't for me. The protagonist was portrayed as quirky, but I found her annoying. The other characters other than Max were not well developed and I thought the ending was just too predictable.

Another amazing novel in verse written by one of the best YA contemporary authors. Woodson's sparse words truly capture the emotions of ZJ as he navigates the impacts of his father suffering from CTE.

A complicated novel about a complex topic - lots of characters and identities in the Middle East. A great reflection on identity and resistance.

Grief affects many people in unknown ways. I was a bit hesitant to read this as I remember not loving Normal People, but this was recommended by a friend with similar tastes in books. At first I found it a bit confusing, but the more I read the more engaging it became and I was truly invested in the characters. I especially enjoyed Ivan, Margaret and Sylvia, but came to empathize with Peter by the end.

Read this for book club and is not one I'd have chosen to read now given what's happening in our country's government - some terrifying similarities to where we may be headed with this Holocaust novel based on true events.

A fun read with a clever title!