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novel explores early Edinburgh surgical schools, questionable methods of obtaining study subjects, a main

I loved the main characters' fashion, banter, and stubbornness. Murderbot (check out my rave review in Six Great Stories about Robots, Humans and Alien Life, and AI) may and the imminent demise of the human race that they seem perched to enact serve as a catalyst for the main

Six Great Bossy Mystery Reads I didn't read as many mysteries last year as I typically do, but here are She's Barbara Van Lear, the daughter of the owners of the camp where many local residents work. Listen for the Lie  offers a fascinating story structure, dark humor, and deeply flawed characters as main full review of The Return of Ellie Black . 06 Sleeping Giants by Rene Denfeld I was taken with the main love an Alaska storyline) and the polar bear-focused parts of the story, it felt far afield from the main

the past feel light years away, because Rocky's menopausal rage threatens to undo any joy she might gain This summer they head to Maine to camp, fish, and hike. Maine, like other states across the country, has been swept by a secession movement, but Jess and Storey When she finds that she's pregnant, she begins a winding path to figuring out her life that mainly entails nontraditional, loving, zany family flips traditional views of unplanned, young pregnancy through the view of a main

mystery on a magical ship full of uncertain alliances, deadly vendettas, and a sassy and flamboyant main relationship and has no interest in one--she doesn't have time for frivolity when she's chasing so many novel explores early Edinburgh surgical schools, questionable methods of obtaining study subjects, a main Cain is savvy, street-smart, and living in the capital. Each of the three main protagonists begin to understand their own power--and when their paths intersect

Bardugo Bardugo's rich world-building sets the scene in Spain during the Inquisition, as a scullery maid Wang doesn't shy away from a dramatic reckoning for the story's main characters in the end. One may upend everything across four worlds--and one may possibly be able to save them all. Jensen The first in Jensen's fantasy series ticked many of my boxes--strong female main character, a This is my kind of "romantasy": adventure, fate, a strong main female character, a Chosen One setup--

fiction read is that real, weighty issues can be raised within the satisfyingly sweet story: characters may cope with abuse or alcohol abuse; they may struggle to feel self-respect, a healthy body image, or to more; it's sweet and funny, it's about writing and books, there are wonderfully faulted love-crossed main After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze producer reaches out to her with an unexpected question: Would Bea consider starring in a season of Main

amount of heart and a unique main protagonist in this lighthearted murder mystery, her debut novel. In Nita Prose's novel The Maid, main protagonist Molly finds a hotel guest dead in his room, and her access to the room, her eccentric manner, and other's manipulations of her innocent vulnerability may Prose has built an interesting premise with Molly as an unreliable main protagonist. story--as with the account of Patient Zero's experience and his two degrees of separation from the main

The book includes many detailed accounts of tracking online tweets and online message board messages, His main interest, Robin, is strong and savvy, yet even she is coping with trauma and the aftermath of But the building of the mystery is satisfying, and having spent five prior books with the main characters

The main protagonist's focus in her work is Commander Graham Gore (a character based upon a real figure

I listened to Empire of Pain, Patrick Radden Keefe's exhaustive, revolting, fascinating history of the government); threatened political influencers in order to protect the company's profits; and ignored the many Meticulously researched, always interesting, and consistently infuriating, Empire of Pain is essential

weaves together timelines, threads of family history, and long-held secrets now revealed, while her main trail Nell has laid out for her, she discovers more about her family's history, uncovers secrets, and may In many ways this felt like a Secret Garden (a book I was obsessed with as a child) for grown-ups, with

Emma is a marine biologist who's devoted to her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby. surprising amount of heart and a unique main protagonist in this lighthearted murder mystery, her debut In Nita Prose's recent novel The Maid, main protagonist Molly finds a hotel guest dead in his room, and Prose has built an interesting premise with Molly as an unreliable main protagonist. Mary was a captivating main protagonist--alternately desperate and hopeful, but always dogged in her

mother-in-law, who severely curtails her ability to practice medicine, as in the family's opinion, Yunxian's main See presents Yunxian as a feminist in many ways, but doesn't allow her to feel more modern than might

There's a health crisis and solution that involves the two main characters in key ways and complicates If you've agonized through the main relationship's ups and downs throughout the story, you might just

Hawker's newest historical fiction gives a wonderfully evocative peek into a gritty period, as her main She's learned to bite her tongue, and she feels like the poor treatment her husband shows her may be

Jac Matthis is a romance novelist whose first book tanked (the main protagonist chose her career over a man, enraging readers who'd been counting on a different happy ever after), leaving little audience But it looks like she may have to rely on her annoying next-door neighbor Wes to try to gain the attention After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze producer reaches out to her with an unexpected question: Would Bea consider starring in a season of Main

I love reading Naomi Novik's books without exception--just check out the links to my many rave Bossy Naomi Novik is the author of richly wrought fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik Naomi Novik is the author of fantasy novels featuring main But one day a man visits Eilis, explains that his wife is carrying Tony's baby, and vows to drop the

The main protagonist is cutthroat, darkly funny, and fascinating in her rejection of expectations.

In Gareth Brown's debut fantasy novel The Book of Doors, main protagonist Cassie Andrews works in a New One of these customers is a kind older man she's become dear friends with. happening to Cassie and Izzy when Cassie takes possession of the book, and soon a rumpled Scottish man He just may be the only one seemingly without nefarious intentions. Authors of time-travel books must decide whether characters may change past events or simply witness

Bardugo's rich world-building sets the scene in Spain during the Inquisition, as a scullery maid with Cotado lives in a grim house on a shabby street in the new capital of Madrid, working as a scullery maid Greed and manipulation rule the day for all involved, with our main protagonists paying the price.

hallucinations late in the book felt like an opportunity to explore pure feelings and for the straight-laced main

series, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi as an audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Lameece Issaq and Amin , and I was hooked on the lightning-fast banter; the gruff and independent, saucy, and irresistible main

Wang doesn't shy away from a dramatic reckoning for the story's main characters in the end. , and what he lacks in training he makes up for with the desire to learn more about the forces that may uncover an enormous magical secret, it could not only mean the undoing of the magical hierarchies that many opens in a prison, with female inmates participating in their weekly book club in rural Abbott Falls, Maine Main protagonist Violet Powell is being released after 22 months' imprisonment for the drunk-driving

Addison Allen's Other Birds is set on an island off the coast of South Carolina as main protagonist Zoey (An inherited apartment and money she has gained access to at age 18 help.)

There's a health crisis and solution that involves the two main characters in key ways and which complicates Then Florence's beloved father dies, and she returns to her hometown for the first time in many years please see The Dead Romantics. 06 Happy Place by Emily Henry Six longtime friends gather for one last Maine I was impatient with the prolonged lack of communication but loved the main characters' interactions For years they've taken annual trips to their friend Sabrina's cottage in Maine with the rest of their

In this young adult novel, the first in a magical fairy tale duology from Elizabeth Lim, main protagonist I couldn't wait to find out how Lim would make this plot construct of a wordless main protagonist work

I loved the main characters' fashion, banter, and stubbornness. imminent demise of the human race that the robots seem perched to enact serve as a catalyst for the human main The gods' war provides the structure for the book's main conflict, but the story feels primarily focused

quiet moments as his characters reflect, and I preferred that aspect of this book--which features a main But Jack is starting to realize that something dark and dangerous may be at work at this lodge, and that In The Guide, the main protagonist Jack is as linked to the natural world as are the characters in his spent with him in The River--when I felt a deeper connection to the character--I didn't feel like I gained

This book had many moving parts, evolving points of view and senses of self, shifts between days and Along with the kickass, whip smart, savvy, kind, and irresistible main protagonist Bridie are her striking Raybourn may allow Veronica to benefit from the author's own modern sensibilities in A Curious Beginning , but Veronica is a strong and unorthodox main protagonist, and for me this aspect of her character works adult supernatural mystery series of the same name, and in it, author William Ritter provides memorable main

to close out the summer, with a high-stakes fake marriage, comeuppances for the greedy bad guys, our main This is an adorable fake-dating-in-paradise setup with funny dialogue, a wonderfully imperfect main protagonist In small town Crosby, Maine, acclaimed writer Lucy Barton and attorney Bob Burgess walk and talk about But the young man, a self-taught artist, is counting on Bob and an unorthodox approach to figuring out Ana is Sherlock Holmes-esque in that she holds many of the answers to the mysteries that abound--but

captivating retelling of the Indian epic Ramayana, with immersive details and an irresistible feminist main character fighting for a voice and for power in a man's world. She is smart, eager, passionate, and determined--and an irresistible main protagonist.

Molloy's main characters are new moms, but the vast majority of their questionable choices don’t feel The main character remains an empty vessel who can conveniently be believed to have done a horrific thing Despite the main protagonists' immense relief at having a resolution to the terrible situation at hand The Perfect Mother is a quick read and a page-turner, although you may consistently suspect that you’ If you like mysteries with twist, you may be in for Molloy's newest book, Goodnight Beautiful.

I listened to Bull Moon Rising in audiobook form, and hearing it all read to me may have exacerbated plus-size woman who loves books and wears glasses and is the irresistible object of affection for the main

Martin mentions each of women and their families, but keeps the story relatively streamlined with three main story--as with the account of Patient Zero's experience and his two degrees of separation from the main

Booth cushions the blow of the main protagonist's early-onset Alzheimer's with a zany romp, lots of love Enter superfan Peanut Brixton--who may be even more familiar with The Falling Children books than Libby

Both main characters' mothers are faulted, far from perfect, and have made decisions that upend Justin

My favorite reads of the past month include, in no particular order: The Maid, Nita Prose's recently published mystery with an intriguing main protagonist and lots of sweetness; The Long Way to a Small, 01 The Maid by Nita Prose Nita Prose offers a surprising amount of heart and a unique main protagonist In Nita Prose's recent novel The Maid, main protagonist Molly finds a hotel guest dead in his room, and Prose has built an interesting premise with Molly as an unreliable main protagonist.

Raybourn is masterful at providing a captivating main character with depth and flaws; a tantalizing will-they-won't-they Stoker's brother, to a gothic, gloomy estate on an island--and an unsolved disappearance that just may

upon the framework of facts from the lives of Julian of Norwich and what is known of the life of our main was a groundbreaking feat for a medieval woman who was stifled by societal and religious limitations may Our main protagonist puzzles and angers those around her by challenging the limitations of what women I've underlined many, many meaningful passages in Revelations, and I found exploring this time through

Our main protagonist knows she is being chased because of something she's done, but the facts of the She has visions of the past and of versions of the future in which her spirit transcends the pain and

famous-person love is a favorite trope of mine, and Norman adds emotional complexities to each of the main

The banter is fantastic, and I laughed many times while reading this one. Jac Matthis is a romance novelist whose first book tanked (the main protagonist chose her career over a man, enraging readers who'd been counting on a different happy ever after), leaving little audience to close out the summer, with a high-stakes fake marriage, comeuppances for the greedy bad guys, our main This is an adorable fake-dating-in-paradise setup with funny dialogue, a wonderfully imperfect main protagonist

check out The Second Ending. 03 Happy Place by Emily Henry Six longtime friends gather for one last Maine I was impatient with the prolonged lack of communication but loved the main characters' interactions For years they've taken annual trips to their friend Sabrina's cottage in Maine with the rest of their Iris may be able to help--if only she could also figure out the store's connection to her mother's past She's fake-dating a nice man in order to keep his family off of his back.

Book two picks up when our main characters, having laid low and lived their own lives for a year, are

But the darkness of her past may only be matched by the danger of the magic and rituals being used by Vengeance Road is a rough and tumble story with enough suspense that I wasn't ever confident that the main The women realize they may know too much about where the bodies are buried--literally--to be allowed McManus I suspected each of the main players at one point or another and couldn't wait for the big reveal I suspected each of the main players at one point or another and couldn't wait for the big reveal.

Despite the plot hiccups in our main characters' work and love lives, there's no question that everything

Main protagonist Gifty's journey was full of challenges and not too easy or complete, and her voice had experienced there; her yearning for her estranged father in Ghana, whom they all call the Chin Chin Man She's had to stifle many of her emotions since she was a young girl--there wasn't space in her family Gifty is an appealing main protagonist, and Gyasi's journey was fascinating.

and science fiction in Iron Widow, and Susan Conley's slim, powerful novel Landslide, about a modern Maine Susan Conley's novel Landslide offers a portrait of a modern family in a remote fishing village in Maine