This was a highly recommended book about a Swedish man named Ove, a curmudgeon with an oversized heart (literally). It’s easy to see why this book was a New York Times bestseller! All Ove wants to do is end his life after the passing of his beloved wife. He’s led a simple, predictable life that is interrupted by some nosy, incompetent neighbors who couldn’t even back up a trailer properly. The angry old man finds himself involved in new neighborhood drama, new reasons to live and new people to live for. This is a charming tale that will leave readers smiling as they think about the lovable grumpy people in their lives.

I devoured Yoon’s second book, The Sun is Also a Star, so I was excited to find her first book at the library.

This book focuses on Madeline Whittier, an 18-year-old girl with an extremely rare condition that makes her allergic to most everything – think “Bubble Boy.” Her mother is a physician and has painstakingly created a home where Madeline can feel safe and comfortable. That is, until a cute boy named Olly and his family move in next door. Olly and Maddy communicate via email and chat, and the book is illustrated with diagrams and cartoons that show her sense of humor.

The book picks up pace as Madeline convinces her nurse to let Olly come over for a brief, supervised visit, and Madeline’s desire to see the outside world and learn more gives her a longing she acts upon once she turns 18 and gets her first credit card.

There’s a predicable twist that is sad and sweet and I can’t wait to see the 2017 movie version of this book.

Hank Green is the younger brother of best-selling author John Green and a YouTube vlogger. This is his first book and it’s a great debut; I read it in one day.

Graphic artist April May was working late one night when she encountered a strange armored Transformer-like figure on a Manhattan street. She calls her videographer friend Andy and they create a silly YouTube video in which she names the statue “Carl.” What they don’t realize is the Carls have been appearing all over the world, and no one knows why.

By solving some puzzles with a little bit of music trivia and science knowledge, the duo become instantly internet famous and their videos are going viral. April and Andy realize everyone around them is having the same dream, a puzzle sequence that just begs to be solved. By using social media and chat rooms, people from all over the world come together to solve the cyphers, all while facing threats from a group of detractors who believe the figures are alien beings who intend to destroy the human race.

This is a fun adventure story that invites readers to question politics, social media, friendship and the supernatural with a wonderful cliffhanger.

I was gifted this “must-read” summer novel from a friend and I’m so glad she shared it with me. The book focuses on a mommy group, dubbed the May Mothers because they all gave birth in the same month. They get together regularly in their Brooklyn neighborhood but they tend to talk more about the babies and baby-related topics, than each other.

During a girls’ night out event, Baby Midas goes missing from his crib, and his single mother is put under the microscope in this suspenseful thriller. Three of the May Mothers decide to help their friend – who they learn more about from the news reports than from the in-person meetings – and unravel a trail of secrets. This book has been called “popcorn” reading and I can see why! It’s a must-read for fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies and for those who enjoyed the twists in Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. There is deeper commentary behind the story about society’s judgment on new mothers – and the women are all believable and relatable.

Best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winner Rick Bragg narrates the audiobook, which features short essays published in Southern magazines.

As a Gulf Coast native, I was excited to hear my hometown featured in his jaunts across the South, with the beloved drawl possessed by a true Southerner. There’s something for everyone in this essay collection, from fishing, mayonnaise, college football and alligators, and it’s a perfect listen for those who long for the South.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel focuses on Arthur Less, a middle-aged writer who has been invited to the wedding of his former lover. In order to avoid the occasion, he accepts literary invitations from around the world, traveling to Mexico, Italy, India, Japan and more.

Wonderful and surprising events take place during his travels, where he has new experiences based on his exotic locales. A twist at the end leaves the reader satisfied with the stories of Less’s adventures and future happiness.

Writer Ruth Soukup shares tips from her blog, Living Well, Spending Less, where she provides practical solutions for everyday overwhelm. This book features advice for saving money and changing your food, life, home and shopping habits.

With personal stories and creative challenges, this would be a great book for a church group or book club. It’s all about clearing out what you don’t need and shifting priorities to be happy and successful.

As someone who’s been on a minimalist journey for quite some time now, I always try to keep up with the new books on the topic. Sasaki’s book is not for those who have emotional attachments to things of any kind.

The book chronicles how Sasaki shed 95 percent of what he owned and uses his 215-square-foot apartment as inspiration for those who want to try his method. I liked how he suggests that possessions are “roommates who don’t pay rent.” This book encourages the use of technology for digital storage and an extreme form of minimalism to eliminated distractions and find happiness.

This was a fun book and a quick read. Stephen was born invisible, cursed by his never-met grandfather. Because he lives in New York City, it’s easy to be invisible and blend in. But when Elizabeth moves in next door and can see him, they work together to unlock the mystery of Stephen’s curse, while learning more about each other along the way.