Honest, thoughtful, and passionate book reviews and recommendations.
★★★★
In Garth Greenwell’s searingly personal and super sexy Cleanness, an American reflects on the time he has spent abroad as a teacher in Bulgaria, with particular focus on his emotional and sexual experiences.
Thank you to FSG for the free book!
Continue reading “Cleanness: Garth Greenwell”★★★★
Miranda Popkey’s Topics of Conversation is a particularly distinctive collection of conversations between women painting a portrait of female desire, love, shame, and much more.
Thank you to Knopf Publishing for the free book!
Continue reading “Topics of Conversation: Miranda Popkey”★★★★
Lee Matalone’s Home Making is a quietly profound story of a mother and daughter, each navigating her own meanings of motherhood and “home.”
Thank you to Harper Perennial for the free advanced copy of this book!
Continue reading “Home Making: Lee Matalone”★★★★★
Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch is an ethereal modern masterpiece about a young boy whose mother’s death spirals the next 15 years of his life into the uncomfortable, dark, and dangerous unknown.
★★★
Miriam Toews’ Women Talking is the intriguing, frank story of a group of Mennonite women discussing their futures in the tight-knit community after learning that several men had been drugging and sexually assaulting them in the night.
★★★★
Lila Savage’s Say Say Say is the gentle, moving story of a young woman silently pondering her place in the world as she provides care for a woman inflicted with brain damage.
Thank you to A.A. Knopf for this free book!
Continue reading “Say Say Say: Lila Savage”★★★★★
Virginia Reeves’ The Behavior of Love is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and wickedly honest story of the wonderful and detrimental sides of love & ambition and living with the repercussions of one’s life.
Thank you very much to Scribner for this free review copy!
Continue reading “The Behavior of Love: Virginia Reeves”★★★★
Evan James’ Cheer Up, Mr. Widdicombe is the satirically hilarious story of the eclectic Widdicombe family and the houseguests that they welcome into their Pacific Northwest home for the summer.
Huge thanks to Atria for this free review copy!
Continue reading “Cheer Up, Mr. Widdicombe: Evan James”★★★★
Molly Dektar’s The Ash Family is the atmospheric and deeply interesting story of a young woman who joins an off-the-grid cooperative of radical environmental activists.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the free book!
Continue reading “The Ash Family: Molly Dektar”★★★★★
Karen Thompson Walker’s The Dreamers is a hauntingly beautiful tale of the mysterious sleeping disease that ravages a small California college town.
