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career to be home with the children, and she and Jake are settled into their routine of daily chores, comfortable There's a layer of magical realism that's interspersed but coming on strong at the end, which makes the She's an unassuming middle-aged woman and a recovering alcoholic who has a compulsion: to locate missing She travels the country tracking lost women, moving into communities with little more than a change of

God is a complex personality. I wanted to explore that complexity and that moral ambiguity.

running the Canadian river, traveling and camping, and Jack and Wynn's friendship itself all hooked me completely For my full review, please see The World That We Knew. 05 Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come by Jessica She regrets her one-year plan almost instantly but feels compelled to continue her terrifying exercises For my full review of this book, please see Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come. ​6 Dear Edward by titles that my book club friends now patiently and kindly wade through to cast their votes for the coming

running the Canadian river, traveling and camping, and Jack and Wynn's friendship itself all hooked me completely I loved the deep, complementary friendship; outdoorsy expertise and adventuring; optimism running up

Strout is truly a marvel in the way she crafts full, complicated lives through sharing small moments. I love that Olive, in what seems to be a combination of unintentional and intentional acts, alienates Strout is truly a marvel in the way she crafts full, complicated lives through sharing small moments.

Miller is a beautiful, powerful writer with clear and sophisticated arguments and a compelling identity Miller is a beautiful, powerful writer with clear and sophisticated arguments and a compelling identity

the striking setup itself might be the most powerful element, with the writing potentially paling in comparison The story stars combustible children and the low-key, unambitious misfit who sticks with them, making

the only hope of regaining glory would be to win the elaborate seniors' game of Howl, a challenging competition this new name and is desperate to leave her dark past behind her--has wormed her way into the idyllic community joyfully challenged professionally, he is unapologetically his own unique self, he is exploring his complicated

the elements of victim, detective, and suspect--and their overlapping Venn diagram possibilities and combinations Sager has crafted a compelling Gothic suspense story in which we're along for the ride as Maggie, a young When Kacey disappears and a string of murders rock the community, everyone is suspect and Mickey's desire This is a smart, compelling story that totally had me hooked. This is a fantastic blend of realistic complications, mistakes, adjustments, and spunk.

When We Were the Kennedys is about grieving deeply, leaning on family and community in a crisis and in common suffering, and figuring out the impossible: how to move on after devastating tragedy. many characters and unfathomable events that changed her family's existence--as well as that of her community

struggling music career would someday take off, but it didn't look as though his dreams would ever come and just as he's letting his hopes soar that this might finally be his big break, Stella falls into a coma place. 03 City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert In City of Girls, Gilbert writes about a young woman's coming

of daily life (and almost-claustrophobic interconnectedness) within a tiny, very northern Norwegian community This is a smart, compelling story that totally had me hooked. She uses Old Norse words in her speech and thoughts; she frequently mentions bravery, combat, wisdom, than sorting out her love life with Marxy from the community center, playing matchmaker with Gert and She's Hollywood royalty, and her former movie star mother lives in a home on the same compound.

joyfully challenged professionally, he is unapologetically his own unique self, he is exploring his complicated host of The Moth storytelling podcast in D.C. and Philadelphia--and he certainly knows how to craft a compelling

name of Jane and is desperate to leave her dark past behind her has wormed her way into the idyllic community But is she doing the scheming, or is something more complicated--even sinister--going on? quick fix for her financial situation, but she rapidly became entrenched in what felt like a long-term commitment

gloriously unlikely friendship, traces the dangers ricocheting through a sometimes claustrophobic small community When The Searcher begins, retired cop Cal Hooper has moved from Chicago, the site of his complicated gloriously unlikely friendship, traces the dangers ricocheting through a sometimes claustrophobic small community

explored about her life and how she wanted to live it were substantial, thoughtful, and interestingly complicated

Retired cop Cal Hooper moves from Chicago, the site of his complicated career, his terrible divorce,

But she finds no comfort there.

Fighting Bunch: The Battle of Athens by Chris DeRose The young men of McMinn County, Tennessee, are coming The story is so compelling, I'm riveted so far. I've got historical fiction/fantasy, royal historical fiction, and a compelling nonfiction story that

I thought the character-driven post-WWII story was wonderful, with compelling and lush detail about tough But on her own time, Mary is Irish exile Maire O’Farren, and she keeps mixed company as part of a secret

Vanderbilt emerges a strong feminist, but at times before she rises from the ashes, her thoughts and comments

The stories Immanuelle hears about her deceased mother Miriam all have one thing in common: her defiance She became pregnant with Immanuelle by a man outside the small, secluded community and died when Immanuelle new-found determination to defy the witches of the wood and their deadly vendettas and save her faulted community listened to Henderson's spooky book as an audiobook, and this dark, witchy tale felt perfect as winter is coming

Henderson I'm listening to Henderson's spooky book, and this dark, witchy tale feels perfect as winter is coming The stories of Immanuelle's mother Miriam all have one thing in common: her defiance of the Prophet. She became pregnant with Immanuelle by a man outside the claustrophobic community and died when Immanuelle new-found determination to defy the witches of the wood and their deadly vendettas and save her faulted community

local GIs returned home from World War II and decided to set things right again for their families and community The young men of McMinn County, Tennessee, are coming home after fighting in World War II. I was completely taken with the compelling story of the spunky main players; the shockingly blatant, If you like compelling nonfiction, you might also want to check out the post Six of the Best Nonfiction

this was going to be the perfect cozy book for reading over a long weekend: an Elizabethan mystery, complete

There's another complementary book of stories from The Moth as well, The Moth Presents Occasional Magic This wasn't the only Dolly Parton book published this year (She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and What It's Like to Be a Bird; 2020's Flight Lines by Andrew Darby; and Beletsky's Bird Songs--which comes Pyle draws from his popular Instagram comics (and offers thirty original comics as well) to point out

Lu offers complex motivations, clashes between idealism and realism, editorialization about class and Then I remembered that this was the first in a series and that the story would continue past the final complications There's complex motivation here, as well as clashes between idealism and realism and editorialization

From glittering crystal caves in Mexico to the site of an ancient meteor crash and many compelling places I hope the ideas here (and those in the lists to come) will help you with ideas for beautiful book gifts

Wolfe Going into Thanksgiving weekend with an Elizabethan mystery in hand, complete with intrigue, plotting

sometimes-claustrophobic situation while providing enough character connection and appealingly messy complications forlorn former potting shed, and her love life is shifting from post-breakup-nonexistent to confusingly complicated historical fiction set in 1933 New Guinea), but as in Writers & Lovers, the characters felt sometimes-competing I breathed sighs of relief as Casey began to come into her own and listen to herself, and as her life King must be a former waiter; Casey's experiences working in a restaurant and the twisted but familial community

from Great Britain's cities, driving supplies and ambulances, knitting, and anything else a scrappy community secrets about events decades past--and initially hesitant attempts to reclaim love, song, independence, community

Young doesn't make things too easy for her characters, but she offers the reader complicated yet satisfying

from Great Britain's cities, driving supplies and ambulances, knitting, and anything else a scrappy community King must be a former waiter; Casey's experience working in a restaurant and the twisted community forged sometimes painful age and stage of shifting from young adulthood to being a grown-up, with all of the complicating

involved with the family whose daughter and ward died, Captain Jim's endearingly strong sense of duty complicates

After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze His endearingly strong sense of duty complicates his mission as he tries to save those in need, avoid romantic story involving unapologetic body positivity, and I hope Bea doesn't fall into the somewhat common

drifted, she dated a professional football player, but she didn't find peace and wasn't able to truly come With lots of gymnastics details that made the setting come to life, Head Over Heels was the engrossing upended so that Cassie will be forced to alter her plans and careful schedule and figure out how to come Although you may see some of the big plot events coming, Center makes the journey so enjoyable that I You can see a satisfying version of happily ever after coming, but I didn't predict the circumstances

After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze Bea's body inspires a few cruel comments from petty characters or online trolls, and her self-esteem

With lots of engrossing gymnastics details that made the setting come to life, Head Over Heels was the drifted, she dated a professional football player, but she didn't find peace and wasn't able to truly come Avery has to figure out quickly if she can come to terms with her potential new role in the gymnastics As a scandal breaks and multiple revelations of abuse within the gymnastics community are made public With lots of gymnastics details that made the setting come to life, Head Over Heels was, as I'd hoped

drifts, she dates a professional football player, but she doesn't find peace and isn't able to truly come

Characters make noble sacrifices and face impossible choices, make heartbreaking missteps, and come to

For my full review, please see The Exiles.) 02 The Comeback Grace Turner was one movie away from Hollywood Now Grace is back and ready for her comeback, but she's realizing that the only way she'll be able to The Comeback is an interesting book to read on the heels of A Star Is Bored. different, but the dark side of stardom is present in both novels. 03 Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come

within a day, major but mysterious supernatural undercurrents, important characteristic revelations, and complicated the editor here); the book held my curiosity, and I gladly gave up trying to unpack the characters’ complicated Veronica finds herself entangled in a dangerous set of circumstances, complete with intrigue, a traveling

deaths, drug use, and disastrous downward spirals brought upon by coping with and taking part in various combinations plucky efforts to uncover the truth (along with the evolution of a love triangle; Ivy's reinforced comfort

She was comfortable among the baboons her parents spent years studying, and she was fascinated by the

He feels unshakably compelled to travel west to find out if the mammoth animals he's heard described but his ill-fated journey is full of misplaced hope, then mistakes and regret, but over all of it, a compulsion It's compelling, and Bess's faith in her faulted father is heart-wrenching. This was a slow build and a beautiful story, satisfying and often sweet, complete with young love. mining magnate of a father; the layers of smart dialogue; the undercurrent of fear beneath the soothing comfort

about the people who made her, instilled a love of music in her, and raised her--although not always competently

twisty-turny love/denied feelings/ confusion/misunderstanding (Lila and Kell; Alucard and Rhys) that comes

She's Hollywood royalty, and her former movie star mother lives in a home on the same compound. Kathi tends toward outrageous excess and could use a loyal companion who cares enough to set limits toward

Vera and Edith are such a complementary partnership, and I loved spending time with these strong young I was completely engrossed. doctor, Kathleen; and a young volunteer, Bridie, over the course of three tumultuous days as the fiery, complex

The beautifully complementary, mismatched partnership between Devlin and Falco was my favorite aspect reputation as a loose cannon; the pair is on a homicide case that is turning out to be more layered and complicated they don't go by her workplace, where she says she is reporting each day, because they don't want to compromise The beautifully complementary, mismatched partnership between Devlin and Falco was my favorite aspect