I really enjoyed the author's book Godland. This one is also a well-written memoir back with solid research about marriage, divorce and life ever after.

The main character Andy is a bit annoying in that he wallows in the breakup with Jen for a long time. As a standup comedian he's not that funny. He can't seem to get out of his own way. However, the ending redeemed the novel for me. I enjoyed the perspective it gave with a couple plot twists thrown in.

I enjoyed this book and they way the characters were woven together, but I would have like to have followed Eva's life more closely. The structure reminded me of Olive Kitteridge, only set in the Midwest. I enjoyed it more than The Lager Queen of Minnesota and I also want to read his latest novel.

I enjoyed this novel loosely based on a real person. The protragonist is an 84-year old woman who looks back on her life all the while walking over 10 miles on New Year's Eve in 1984.

This is an incredible read about why ultra-processed food is so damaging to our health and society at large. Amazing research to back up the author's claims. Highly recommend if you're interested in learning more about health.

Kiley Reid is an excellent author. I enjoyed the character development and the unpredictable plot. The theme of racism was woven throughout in a subtle way. I was finding ways to sneak in reading it as I was so drawn in. Highly recommend along with her first novel, Such a Fun Age.

After reading an article with the author about banned books, I read Lawn Boy to see what all the fuss was about. Without giving much away, there's themes of sexual identity & sex, but the book is much more about poverty & how difficult it is to overcome than anything else. I see no reason for this book to be banned. The honest reflection of class in our society could make some uncomfortable, but as the saying goes, “The truth sometimes hurts“.

A fun read for fans of The Great British Bake Off, bakers or fans of novels with older protagonists. Jenny, 77, & married to Bernard for 60 years, takes a chance & becomes a contestant on a baking show. She's successful, but this life changing experience conjures up memories she's buried for the majority of her life. Alternating between flashbacks & current events, the novel has a somewhat predictable plot, but is still enjoyable.

I love Kate Bowler's podcast so enjoyed reading this short memoir about her experience of being diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at the age of 35 and the subsequent medical treatment and mistreatment she received. She is not in remission so I knew there was a happy ending!

I picked up this book because I enjoy the author's novels. This one did not disappoint. It likely won't stay with me as amazing literature, but I enjoyed the plot and character development. It wasn't entirely predictable, and ended hopeful.

I don't enjoy novels where I don't like the characters and this book falls into that category. However, even though I liked almost none of the characters, the plot held my interest enough to want to know how it ended. I was not happy with the resolution though. In thinking about the novel, opera was a major thread throughout it and I guess the plot was a tragedy in the sense of an opera.

I was not familiar with Suleika Jaouad until I watched the documentary American Symphony, which is in some ways a sequel to this memoir. Cancer is never good, but for someone in their twenties with a brain that is not fully developed, it wreaks havoc not only on the body, but also the mind and soul. Though her cancer returned in 2020, I am happy Suleika landed on her feet, and ended up with Jon.

A well written book from a debut author that reads more like a collection of short stories than a novel as each chapter is about a different character, but they do overlap. The common elements are the characters are all Palestinian and all reside in Baltimore. So many of the stories are about young women who become pregnant and disgrace their families so there is much guilt and shame over falling out amongst generations.

I loved everything about this book. It is so much more than the book jacket blurb. It's about friendship, coming of age, stories we tell ourselves in our head, being gay and not being able to come out, reproductive rights, humor, complicated families, socioeconomic issues.

A coming of age book for three men - William who served in the Viet Nam War, Vince who worked a construction job with William the summer before college, & Beau, Vince's HS/college-aged son. The structure of the novel was well done. My criticism is it felt a bit “preachy“ at times with some of the parallels forced. If you like historical fiction about Viet Nam you will likely enjoy it. I loved the title.

This was a fun quick read with so much suspense. It had a couple of plot twists I wasn't expecting which made me want to keep reading. If I had been able, I would have finished it in one sitting.

This is a multi-layered beautifully written novel with several plots the authors threads together into a cohesive storyline. It makes sense why it was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2023. I look forward to reading some of the other author's novels.

I have mixed feelings about this book. A couple of key plot events were too good to be true when people who had lost touch were reconnected. Also, in some ways the story was trying to do too much - it had themes of systemic racism, bisexuality, rape, domestic abuse, adoption. On the other hand, I liked the short chapters and the switching back and forth in time. It kept my interest and was easy for me to read many pages quickly. 3.5 stars

My first read of 2024 and what a great one to start with. Beautiful writing, beautiful person. I loved the part about bees and believing in magic and karma! Everyone who reads this book will be a better person for it.

The subject of this book, clubbing, was not one I normally would be drawn to. However, the universal themes of poverty, childhood abandonment, racism and sexism kept my interest. I can see how it was a finalist for the Women's Prize and it's especially impressive given that it's a debut novel.

This novel has a complicated plot that spans 50+ years. I enjoyed that chapters with Sajjad more than the others. The ending set in Afghanistan was complex that I was not as engaged. However, the last line of the novel is so powerful that I think this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

I usually don't enjoy books when I don't like the main character, but Andres is the exception. I especially enjoyed the quality of the writing with the extensive vocabulary of the author. At times it seemed as if Verela was trying to address too much - racism, immigration, homophobia, infidelity, mental illness, but in the end it worked for me.

This was a fun read that makes me want to read more of this author. Definitely a character driven novel which I enjoy.

This is another sweet read from Jacqueline Woodson. It's also empowering for black girls and boys. The story is set in Bushwick in the 1970s. Even though I no longer teach middle school, I still wanted to read this book because I love the author.

Written by a journalist, this is the story of Dr. Charlie White, born in 1905 who lived to be 109! Charlie's life was filled with heartbreak, resilience, optimism and in his words, luck. Such an interesting read that reflects on all the changes that occurred over such a long lifespan.

Loved this honest memoir. Had me tearing up in so many places as I connected with the author as a daughter of a strong mother, the death of a father, and being a parent of adult children. Some days of childrearing often feel endless, yet once they're over, it feels as if those years pass so quickly.

I generally enjoy memoirs and this one was intriguing. The author is humorous, skeptical and a Christian so if you enjoy sarcasm and religion, you may enjoy this.

McBride's novel perfectly reflects the underlying systemic racism in our country.

While I enjoyed this quick read, I don't think it's one that will stay with me.

Acevedo is one of my favorite YA authors and this is her first adult novel. It was complicated and a bit messy as families often are. Great character development and beautiful writing.

Joan is a quirky Asian doctor who is SO concrete. She has a hard time understanding other humans, so experiencing grief over the loss of her father is very confusing. While this novel told the story of one person, it also incorporated racism in the US against Asians and immigrants in general.

Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors. Her writing never seems forced, always has excellent character development & her descriptions make me feel as if I'm actually in the setting. In this novel she's telling her three adult daughters about her life before them when she was an aspiring actor. It's a story about love - first love when Lara was swept off her feet, unconditional love for her daughters & everlasting love with her husband Joe.

Set in the late 1800s this book is about, to use the character's words, sexual inverts. Excellent character development; while the characters weren't always likable, through the author's writing I had empathy for them. There was enough suspense to the ending that I wanted to keep reading even when I was falling asleep late at night.

While the story of the memoir was interesting I didn't find the writing compelling.

This is not a typical WWI book. The author has wonderful character development and she weaves the plot in a clever way with many unexpected twists and turns. I was drawn into this book, cheering on the character of Gaunt and Ellwood as they discover themselves and their relationship in the midst of navigating a war as young boys who quickly turn into men. An excellent debut novel which I have read is being turned into a film.

While this is categorized as a YA book, I think it's more of an adult book. A young woman from Berlin comes to the U.S. with her friend shortly after WWII to seek justice. They both have experienced horrific events during the war and she wants to find the Nazis who are responsible. However, life never goes in a straight line especially given this tangled situation. If you like suspenseful stories about WWII or the Holocaust, you might enjoy this.

As expected from the title, this is a dense book filled with philosophy and other resources for thinking about how to have a flourishing life, written by three Yale professors who teach a class by the same name. There are thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter, so this would be a good book club book for people willing to wrestle with what matters most in life.

This novel started out quite slow, but I enjoyed the second half. Even when we live with someone do we ever truly know them? The author deals with the sensitive topics of grief and chronic depression. I love this quote: “Where do you put sadness. It doesn't fold“ (205).

Kwame is one of my favorite YA authors. He has a way of weaving words into beautiful tapestries. At first I thought the book would be more about his father, and while their relationship of father and son is included, it's more about Kwame as a father with his two daughters. Like most of us his life has been full of love and loss and he's continuing to learn to love (mostly himself) in spite of his loss.

I heard this author interviewed on a podcast so was intrigued to read the novel. I thought it started off way too slow and the suspense came in the last third. A good (though unrealistic) story, but not sure it's compelling enough to continue reading the series.

I enjoyed this novel about several generations of strong African American women who are survivors. As with many contemporary novels, this is told from multiple points of view and jumps around in time, but it was easy to follow.

I enjoyed this novel about several generations of strong African American women who are survivors. As with many contemporary novels, this is told from multiple points of view and jumps around in time, but it was easy to follow.

“Suddenly I realized that I had three marriages to Saro: the one we had experienced as newly in-love married people; the one we had spent in the trenches of surviving cancer; and the one I had with him now, as his widow“ 239-40).

I enjoyed the quirkiness of Elizabeth and can see how the novel is empowering to women, but found much of the plot too unbelievable with all the coincidences that connected the characters. An okay read but not life changing.

I enjoyed this book despite it being about video games, something I know little about and don't play. I saw the games as metaphors for the relationships between the characters.

My least favorite of the Kristin Hannah books I've read. A friend recommended this one, but I found the plot line too cliched and found the character Meredith annoying. The ending was too neat and tidy too.

Rebecca Makkai is an incredible author, especially in terms of character development. I have enjoyed all her novels I've read and this one did not disappoint. The plot is compelling and complex and one that will stay with me for a long time.

A fun read by a writer from Schitt's Creek. Maggie is getting a divorce after being married less than two years. Her world is ending, but she knows in the context of life, her problems are not as horrible as others. Nevertheless, daily life is painful for a long time. Found the writing quite humorous!

After reading the lovely novel The Story of Arthur Truluv, this book was a disappointment. The plot had no depth and felt full of cliches.

This was such a sweet book. A quick read and so heartwarming about three people who feel as if they are outsiders in society. They form an atypical community that works for them. Life really is about human connection!