One of the best mystery books I've read in my life! This story enraptured me from the start and it felt so much shorter than the 400-page novel it was; however, it does include a subtle 150-page secondary novel embedded within it. I enjoyed the story from start to finish, and I would definitely recommend this to beginning readers. 

After reading the Hobbit, this novel took me out of left field. Our familiar cast of characters is survived by their progeny, or adopted progeny as is the case for Bilbo Baggins. The tale is fantasy as it's best with multiple plotlines, big bads to fight, and heroes taking a stand. I just wish there was more Gandalf!

This was a really lovely book about the intergenerational traumas of African Americans struggling to reclaim their heritage and family in the modern United States. Beginning with tales of indigenous peoples falling in love and ending with an allusion to Obama's first presidential run, this novel truly spans the time of America's creation and trials. Detailing native maltreatment, slave trade, and current systemic oppressions, Jeffers holds no punches, especially including intersectional feminism. I enjoyed this novel, even though its length sometimes diluted plot lines. All in all, the central characters were extremely compelling and t his is the perfect mix of historical fiction. 

I know Beth May as a hilarious podcaster, but while reading this book I saw a completely different side to her. It was so interesting to hear May in a different forum, sharing thoughts that do not necessarily need to be funny but interweaving her humor as she pleases. Her poems were poignant, impactful, heartfelt, and diverse. I can't wait to read more from her. 

This was such a cute book! Definitely one of my favorite reads Ever. I’ve never really been a fan of high fantasy work; however, The Hobbit gives you no choice but to fall in love with the fanciful characters, gripping story, and quippy narrator. 

Mostly Dead Things completely threw me off of my reading game. I entered into Kristen Arnett’s book expecting a cheesy gay Florida romance, as indicated by the fanciful cover art. This could not be further from the truth. In reality, this gritty novel relays stories of family loss, strained relationships, and uncovering your true self. Revolving around a tense household further divided by their father’s suicide, the novel follows Jessa, a young gay woman attempting to uplift the family business and maintain complex interpersonal ties. And when I say complex, I mean Complex. Jessa and her brother, Milo, could not be more different; however, they are determined to fall in love with the same women time after time. This spun out into a disaster with Milo’s first wife, Brynn - a ghost who seems to haunt over both siblings throughout the novel. True tragedy then strikes as Jessa’s father dies by suicide, wrecking the family stability. Following this event, Milo and Jessa’s mother descends into a depressive tailspin and it seems to be up to Jessa to piece back together this dismal puzzle. The novel gripped my attention from beginning to end as the author slowly explained parts of plot through carefully placed flashbacks. Interwoven themes of unnatural intimacy perfectly presented in the scene of a taxidermy storefront pepper the novel, reminding readers of the ties of life between us all. 

I’m a huge fan of Steven King novels, and this is one of my favorites. This harrowing book tells the stories of 100 boys committing to a journey for their lives: the Long Walk. Propagated by the American police state and tortuous citizens, the youthful characters combat ideas of death, sexuality, and greed all while walking for their lives. With three warnings equalling a ticket to heaven, the children quickly come to terms with their own mortalities and ponder the meaning of life in regards to money, family, and love. While it wasn’t a light read in the slightest, I think it was one of the easier Steven King novels to progress through. Tense scenes played out fairly quickly as was the setting of the book, so there was less of the drawn-out paranormal fear often present in a King tale. All in all, this may be one of my favorite books to recommend to first-time horror readers. 

I read Station Eleven just as the pandemic was beginning to pick up, and that book rocked me to my very core. This novel did not seem to have the same gravitas in general. I enjoyed a few of the stories, especially the interwoven family and financial dynamics. However, the entire premise of the book did not grasp my heart and pull me into a world of collapse and interpersonal struggles the way Station Eleven did. Perhaps I am falling victim to comparing two books read at two very different periods of my life, but this was not my favorite read this year. 

I’ve been on an exceptional kick for books about motherhood recently, and this seemed to be a culmination of them all. Themes of love, loss, change, self-acceptance infiltrate this day in the life tale of Eleanor Flood as she navigates through various role strains. Seemingly on a journey to uncover the mystery of her husband’s whereabouts, the main character discovers more about her son, her career, and her own life in turn. Semple tackles the challenges of being both a mother and a career woman tugged between a loving family and the dreams of the past. While this book takes place over the course of one chronological day, current events dredge up past memories, swirling readers into vignettes of graphic novels, artistic endeavors, and (!!) New Orleans. I truly loved the character of this novel and the brashness of reality throughout the story. The ending was neither expected nor completely comprehensible, as life often is; however, I loved this. Today Will Be Different illustrates the modern day strife of women competing in a world which requires them to be a mother, a lover, and a careerist while never sacrificing themselves in the process. 

I am a huge lover of fluffy romance books, but this novel just seemed to fall flat. It relied heavily on tropes of the busy businesswoman forced to return to her small hometown only to fall in love with a relaxed young man. While that would be fine on its own, the thing that truly peterbed me was the insertion of an abusive relationship. These plots can be difficult to write and integrate well, and it truly fell flat in this novel. The abusive relationship functioned more as a fanciful side story without shedding light on positive resources, true effects, or any sort of tact. The sole redeeming factor of this book was the nuanced portrayal of a love story through the grandmother character. Her sections felt lovely, comforting, and real.