I loved this historical fiction novel in verse, set to the backdrop of classical piano music. This is the story of Helena, her family, and her new romantic interest Lucas in the weeks and months proceeding the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's weird calling something I remember watching on the news historical fiction.

A quietly romantic, hopeful story about two lonely people finding connection on a long walk. Full of wit, warmth, and the beauty of second chances.

I'm not much for Historical Non-fiction and I'm not that big on graphic novels. But the topic here is something I care about. This shows the resiliency of enslaved peoples and the negative impact on their ancestors and highlights current systems of oppression.

Typical Hallmark-esque romance plot. A quick-enjoyable read. The conclusion seemed a bit rushed but there was a big twist cliffhanger that leads nicely into book two.

If you're going to read this, listen the audiobook read by Tom Hanks. It is the way to go. I loved the characters but wasn't too keen on the plot until near the end. Listening to Hanks tell the story makes up for that.

I thought I was buying a book of poetry. That's my fault for making an assumption. I read it anyway. The advice seems solid even though I couldn't determine the author's credibility to be offering this level of relationship advice.

A captivating story that shows the reality of show business through one young actress' experience and early retirement. And her beautiful and ordinary family life that follows, told to her adult daughters during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The audiobook, performed by Meryl Streep was a masterpiece.

If graphic novels aren't your thing, this collection of five haunting tales might help change your mind. The writing is accessible and the artwork is captivating. I took myself to my localibrary yesterday for the first time in years and sat there and read this from cover-to-cover.

Vivian was a character so far removed from me and her story was so different from my own. Yet, I grew to like and appreciate her as she grew to like and accept herself. The whole story is told to an unknown person named Angela, this kept me from enjoying the story as much as I could have. But, I did like the way Angela was revealed in the end.

I marked so many pages to return to and poems to share with my students and my friends. This was inspiring as a woman, a writer, and a friend. Love, love, love!

This one has been on my list for a long time and I'm so glad I finally read it. If it's on your list, don't wait. Dual narrative and I could decide which MC I liked more. Such an important story of love, grief, and forgiveness.

This book captures the triumphant feeling of learning something new and gaining independence.

Jeremy reminds us all that it is often those who have little who are the most generous.

A story that rhymes fruit in a fun way. You end up rooting for the neglected orange

I think I've read everything by Emma Lorde. This is the first adult romance and wow! It uses the fake dating trope, but does it in a fresh and fun way. I found myself connecting to the main character's grief over losing her sibling. I really enjoyed this.

A good storyline, but if book one was NSFW, book two was really NSFW. I skimmed some of the more spicy scenes. I would have like a little more of Rowan and Sloane's continued story thrown in. Not sure I'll read book three. Anyone who has read these have thoughts?

Her poetry makes me want to write. This was relatable and existential in all the best ways. I typically don't reread, but I know I will reread this many times.

This was such a cute story. The fluff that palate cleansers are made of. A spicy Hallmark-esque story. New girl moves from the city to a small town to run her aunt's cafe and meets sexy farmer, romance ensues.

I had avoided this book because it wasn't sure I'd like the graphic nature of a serial killer story. Somehow the author humanized the characters and writes a fantastically funny and engaging plot without the reader becoming too horrified. I'm going to read the sequel, and for me, a serial first book reader, that's a compliment.

Babel puts a magical spin on 19th-century British colonialism. In this world, silver bars engraved with words from two languages that don‘t perfectly translate can create powerful magic. But at its core, the novel makes it clear that racism is the driving force behind England‘s colonization efforts. This was a heavy and thought-provoking read that should come with a trigger warning for racism, sexism, violence, and suicide.

I cannot recommend this enough. This is everything I look for in a book. Told through three POVs in three different timelines, these three Weyward women are all strong female protagonists. Historical fiction at its finest with a touch of magical realism; mwah! Chef's kiss!

I love the dual narratives, dual timelines and the parallels between the two female protagonists. I knew of the controversy surrounding the authenticity of Shakespeare's authorship but I learned so much reading this.

It's easy to see why this book appeals to such a wide audience. Tova, Cameron, Marcellus, Ethan, all lovable characters. This book will stay with me for a long time. A sentient octopus that understands humans better than humans can understand them? Totally works!

I love a good fantasy that feels like historical fiction. This uses the orphan girl turned heroine trope. The world building is intricate. I loved how each chapter began with a rhyme. However, this book cannot stand alone; it ends on a cliffhanger making the second book in the duology an must.

This lives up to the hype. Push it to the top of your TBR. Martha Ballard is a strong female character/historical figure who you'll want to meet. This will make me look to read Lawhon's other books. DO NOT skip the author's note at the end!

Cherry reminds me a bit of Eleanor Oliphant. I love the way the multiple story lines co-exist and come together. Except for Cherry, I think Ethan's character and storyline was my favourite. This book has much to teach us about grief and acceptance. We don't learn the protagonist's name until we're 20% through the book and that made it more difficult for me to connect to the story at first, but I ended up loving it.

I like this book a lot. I devoured it in just two days. I wanted to love it, but didn't. I think it Iwan's character that seemed a bit too good to be true, the time slip element not developed well enough, I'm not entirely sure. Still glad I read it.

This is the second novel I've read from Kirsten Miller and it will bump her up to an automatic buy author for me. If you understand that banning books, even monster erotica, is stupid, this book is for you.

Gratz has a talent for writing the truth of difficult situations. He weaves several plots together, making the reader care about each. It makes me want to host a refugee family. The audiobook was a great road trip listen.

Half the book is narrated by a sentient fig tree. This book isn't for everyone, but the poignant prose kept me hooked. 16-year-old Ada Kazantzakis in 2010s London, grappling with grief and cultural identity, and her parents, Defne and Kostas, navigating their forbidden love during the Turkish-Greek conflict in 1970s Cyprus.

I almost gave up on this one, but l'm glad I didn't. Once Rachel Price reappears, the story just keeps getting better. This would make a fantastic mother-daughter read. So twisty turny!

If you didn't hate The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you'll love James. It is refreshing to get the story from Jim's POV. I loved the idea that he and other slaves were just putting on the “slave talk“ for the benefit of white people, to appear less educated than they were. Highly recommend!

In the last few years, these have been my favs. I'm looking for your recommendations based on this.

It's not even halfway through January but I know this will be a strong contender for my best read of 2025. Dual time line, a strong fantasy element, with realistic characters and setting, and a strong female protagonist, this is everything I want in a book. If you've had this on your list for a while, don't hesitate.

I'm going to miss this series so much! I don't usually read sequels, so when I do, you know it's good. If you liked this series, try GET A LIFE CHLOE BROWN by Talia Hibbert and BEFORE I LET YOU GO by Kennedy Ryan.

I loved the dual narrative and the way Elaine and Ava's stories eventually intertwined. I liked learning of the history of Portugal's role in WW2.

A beautiful poetic narrative that reminds the reader that ALL life is valuable.

Lord of the Flies meets The Handmaid's Tale, this powerfully gripping YA dystopian story kept me hooked from beginning to end. Tierney, a strong and brave female protagonist, fights against injustice and for what she believes. The Grace Year is a must read!

This book was everything I expect from a Hallmark-esque Christmas read. It was the perfect holiday rom-com, predictable in all the best ways. It was good to read about Callie gaining strength and asserting herself and Marco was the perfect love interest.

I enjoyed this examination of life, family, and race. It shows us how one life could be lived in so many different ways. It also highlights how lies about who you are, your truth, can resonate for a lifetime.

This is a beautiful collection of quotes/tweets about optimism, hope, and growth. It encourages the reader to find beauty in the life they're presently living, making room for the wonderful unknown future, embracing the power of uncertainty.

An amazing duology and atypical for me, I liked the second book even better than the first. I was rooting for Iris and Roman, and I loved Iris's strong female character. I was impressed that the ending was positive without being a happily ever after ending.

This was a beautiful story of friendship, found family, and resilience. Grace was a loveable character, steadfast and heroic. This was everything I want in a good historical fiction read.

The only thing I kept thinking, over and over, is that not much has changed. The rich still keep the poor downtrodden so they can get richer. This was my first Kristin Hannah and I'm excited to read her others.

I teach a course called Growth Goals and Grit. This has been an invaluable resource both personally and professionally. We are working on building strong habits that will help us reach our goals. This is the undisputed handbook.

Can you believe it's my first time reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? The audiobook was simply delightful. With my background knowledge, the allegory was unmistakable. But, I truly think this story would capture the heart of every child and adult alike.

McManus's best yet! I loved Kat and Liam's characters. This book definitely shows young people who rise above their raising. I didn‘t find the plot twists predictable and there were quite a few. A fun and engrossing read.

I think I would have enjoyed this so much more when I was first divorced, over 20 years ago now. I loved the questions, quotations, and chapter titles. I especially loved the chapter, “It gets pretty woo here“ about the idea that children get to choose which parents they'll be born to.