The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

• This is an off-beat novel that celebrates writers and the act of writing.
• This is also a book that examines the impact of a dog on everyday life.
• Overall, this is an enjoyable novel, and a nice change of pace.

Hardly Children by Laura Adamczyk

• This is a collection of short stories that examine the experiences of young adults.
• I found the short stories enjoyable and accessible.
• I look forward to Adamczyk's future publications.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

• I wanted to hear Michelle Obama's take on her experience in the White House.  While politically we have different views, I see her as a smart and inspiring woman.  I wanted to hear she had to say.  I'm thankful she wrote this book to share with the public.
• She tells her life story starting as a young girl through her time in the White House.
• She is an excellent narrator for her own book.  The book is a 19 hour audiobook.

Dopesick by Beth Macy

• This nonfiction book looks at how the opioid crisis developed.
• The story is told by profiling individuals combined with broader societal commentary.
• The anecdote that sticks with me the most is that farm supply stores had problems keeping animal syringes on the shelf because addicts would steal them.  Given the gauge of needles, I can only imagine the desperation behind that theft.

Ohio by Stephen Markley

• This novel offers a candid snapshot of rural life in the Midwest.  
• I enjoyed how the various characters lives intersected over time from high school forward for about a decade.
• Drug abuse is a main topic of this novel.

Vox by Christina Dalcher

• This novel feels like a lesser knock-off of The Handmaid's Tale.
• The concept of the novel is that women are forced to wear a word counter that limits them to 100 words a day.  Basically, an evil Fitbit.
• This book reads like a YA novel, although it has adult characters.

A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin

• This short story collection quickly draws the reader into each mini-world created by the author.  I'm thankful a friend recommended this book to me.
• The short stories in this collection skew toward the shorter end of the short story spectrum.
• Addiction is a common theme in many of the short stories.

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

• This is a thrilling re-telling of The Little Mermaid that will appeal to teen and adult readers.
• Henning fresh approach to the folk tale brings new perspective.
• The novel is a quick read with quick action and character development.

The Third Hotel by Laura Van Den Berg

• This novel centers on the travels of a newly widowed woman.
• She travels around Cuba in search of her husband, who she kind of finds.
• This is a chilling novel.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

• I reread this book as an audiobook after having read the print version about give years ago.  The audio version is a great performance!
• Rereading the book only reminded me how much I wish this would have been made into a movie long ago.
• The main character is annoying and obtuse in an enrapturing way.

Heartland by Sarah Smarsh

• This memoir looks at the impact of class on young adults.
• Much of the book focuses on the challenges of crossing class lines.
• The book combines personal narrative with ties to larger political and societal debates.

The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen

• I never knew I would enjoy reading about Mongols and slaves.  I was missing out.  This book combines a rich historical context with action.
• I blame the author for keeping me up past my bedtime reading.
• Overall, this is a really compelling story set in a fascinating time.

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

• The only other Donoghue book I've read is Room, and this book features similarly messed up characters.
• I enjoyed Catholic/non-Catholic conflict that is a constant source of tension for the main character throughout the novel.

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

• The best description I've read of this book is Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets Eurovision, and it is right on.
• Clippy is my favorite character.
• I enjoyed this novel, and think it would make an even better film.

Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

• Young children grow up in the aftermath of World War II.
• They discover their distant parents were involved with espionage during and after the war.
• Overall, this is an engaging character-driven novel.

Severance by Ling Ma

• This novel touches on the topics of new college students, cults, and religion.
• The story is told from 3 points of view.
• The plot focuses on the relationship of the main character with a young woman who joins a cult.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

• In this novel a person from real world London slips into a mysterious shadow world of London.
• There are twists and turns throughout the book.
• The characters are fantastical, yet somehow normal and flawed.

Severance by Ling Ma

• While there is a bit of action, the focus of the book is on the main character and her story.
• I enjoyed the elements of the novel that go into bookmaking as the main character is employed in this industry.
• This book reminded me of Station Eleven.  It is literary fiction that looks as the world after a breakdown in society.

The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir

• The main character of the book is a central cast member of a reality TV show, making the book feel very modern.
• This book addresses the impact that the camera has on a young girl in a very religious family.
• This is a quick read.

The Wanderers by Meg Howrey

• This novel is about three very different astronauts preparing for an expedition to Mars.
• Science fiction fans will enjoy the strong science and technology elements of this novel.
• While there is both action and character development, the novel concludes unexpectedly.  While the ending was not immediately satisfying, after a few days I've grown to embrace the ending.

Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh

• This collection of short stories left me wanting more.
• This collection is cohesive in tone and themes, yet each story distinctly stands on its own.
• I look forward to Moshfegh's future novels and shorter works.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

• This novel focuses on a young girl who moves to Alaska.  Her parents are seeking a new beginning.
• While old demons follow the family to Alaska, this novel is a story of this young girl's growth into a strong woman who creates her own path.
• This novel kept me engaged and hanging on each new development.

Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny

• Novels can often feel formulaic with expected romantic complications and endings.  However, Heiny's Standard Deviation creates its own path.
• This novel is about the relationship between a man, his wife, and his ex-wife.
• I kept expecting the novel to take a well worn plot turn like so many other novels, but it never did.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

• This is thriller focused on a newlywed's experiences after a bag full of cash and jewels in the ocean.
• I kept rooting for the main character even as she continued to exercise poor judgement.
• Side note: This is the first book I've listened to on Audible, and LOVE the experience.  I've used public library eaudiobook apps in the past, but they've been glitchy.

How to be Famous by Caitlin Moran

• This is a fast-paced novel about a young women finding her own.
• While set in the mid-90s, it feels very modern.
• No character is perfect or completely likable, which makes the book endearing.

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

• This is an excellent novel centering upon an unreliable narrator.
• International travel adds to the allure of this novel.
• The ending makes so much sense, yet, is unexpected.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

• After hearing buzz about this novel over the last few years and with an upcoming movie, I decided to give this book a try.
• I loved the fast pace and decadent descriptions.
• The characters are quirky, odd, and highly likable.
• After this novel I look forward to reading Kwan's other works too.

Heather, the Totality by Matthew Weiner

• This is a short novel that reads very quickly.  Each block paragraph reads like a scene from television or a movie, which is understandable given Weiner's background.
• The ending is good.  Not easy to see ahead of time, but makes total sense in retrospect.
• This book is equal parts plot and character development.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

This novel follows a new marriage through the husband's incarceration.

Much of the novel focuses on infidelity by both partners. 

The end is dark, yet satisfying.

Chernobyl by Serhii Plokhy

• This novel digs into the history fo the Chernobyl disaster.  Starting with why the reactor was built where it was.
• A significant portion of the book focuses on the Soviet response to the disaster.  Leaders actively tried to cover up any responsibility they had in order to avoid the political fallout that would come with taking responsibility.
• The Chernobyl disaster and its aftermath were complex.  Plokhy digs fully addresses the many layers of this event.

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

• The storytelling in this novel is fantastic.  The bulk of it takes place over a relatively short time with flashbacks revealing more about the characters.
• While this is a relatively long book given the page count, it is a quick read for the length.
• I look forward to Mirza's future endeavors.
• Note:I'm not a fan of celebrity book clubs, and was skeptical of Sarah Jessica Parker's imprint with Hogarth.  However, I was pleasantly surprised and look forward to future SJP for Hogarth publications.

The Power by Naomi Alderman

• I greatly enjoyed this book.  It combines modern themes with a wise point of view.
• This novel is told from the view point of several characters over a number of years.
• I really enjoyed the historical documents included and the letters at the end of the book about publishing in this created world.

Plum Rains by Andromeda Romano-Lax

• This novel explores emotional connections between humans and robots.
• The author tackles the topic of aging and tough personal histories.
• I classify this as a literary fiction sci-fi novel.

Ice Ghosts by Paul Watson

• After watching The Terror on AMC, I wanted to know more about what is known about the Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest passage.
• Having loved the TV series I wanted to know what was based in evidence and what was artistic license used by the creators of the series.  This book provided a solid answer.
• While the introduction covers the bulk of the actual Franklin Expedition, the main part of the book addresses the many rescue and fact finding missions sent after the Franklin Expedition.
• This is an enjoyable book that focuses on the human instincts to explore the unknown, and then to find answers to an unexplained disappearance.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

• This is a fun and quick read of a novel.  
• This is a romance for readers who do not like the romance genre.
• Characters are complex, unique, and yet relatable.  They also grow throughout the novel.

Property by Lionel Shriver

• Two novella's bookend a collection of short stories in Shriver's recent publication.
• After being drawn in by the first novella, I struggled to shift into the right gear for short stories.
• The tone of this work matches Shriver's earlier publications.

You Think it, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld

• This is a compelling collection for short stories.
• Sittenfeld delves into a variety of seemingly pedestrian situations.  However, with each story, Sittenfel's wit reveals much more.
• Together the short stories create a work that stands on its own.

Girl on a Plane by Miriam Moss

• This is a quick-paced read told from the perspective of a teenage girl on a hijacked plane.
• This novel offers insight into the motivations of the hijackers making them more human.

Calypso by David Sedaris

• Staying true to his previous works, Sedaris' voice is strong, humorous, and insightful.
• This work focuses on the relationships between the members of Sedaris' family and his aging father.
• I look forward to rereading this in the future, and giggling at it again.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

• The main character struggles to meet community expectations and family obligations while living a life that is fulfilling for her.
• This novel focuses the friction between social classes highlighted by social mobility.
• While the novel is long, it builds beautifully toward its ending.

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti

• This tale jumps between the present day and Samuel Hawley's dark past.
• Hawley's teenage daughter Loo struggles with finding her place and fitting in with her father.
• The novel ends strongly with a satisfying but still nicely loose ending.

Laura & Emma by Kate Greathead

• This is a novel about a single mother from a well-to-do New York family.
• As a single mother a previously privileged woman encounters a different side of New York.  This causes her to question her values and priorities.
• Overall, this is a quick read with engaging characters.  However, the ending struck a sour note for me.

Come from Away by Genevieve Graham

• This novel is about connection during times of crisis, and how these connection may challenge our relationships.
• This novel is set in Canada during World War II.
• Overall, this is a soft romance novel with the odd twist of including a likable Nazi character.

Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday

• Two seemingly unrelated stories reveal their connection only at the end.
• This novel explores asymmetric relationships between an established author and a much younger aspiring writer.
• The juxtaposition of the two stories reveals yet another asymmetry.

Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

• Taleb builds on Black Swan to explore what can survive and grow during black swan events.
• While readers would benefit from being familiar with Black Swan, it is not necessary to have read to follow this book.
• Taleb addresses antifragility in a number of venues ranging from banking to medicine.

What You Don't Know about Charlie Outlaw by Leah Stewart

• This book is set in the entertainment industry with all the intrigue and fascination it entails.
• There is a bit of adventure and plot action in this book.
• This is a quick and fun read.

The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew

• This is a fun and fast-paced YA read full of drama and self-discovery.
• The setting for this novel is in a German-occupied UK that is grappling with the influence of American (enemy) popular culture.
• This is an enjoyable read.  There is some German sprinkled in throughout the novel with translations immediately following.

A Higher Loyalty by James Comey

• After following the headlines I wanted to better understand Comey's position and actions.  This book is a great way to hear from his point of view.
• This book covers Comey's career working with both Republican and Democrat presidents.
• Comes does a great job narrating the audiobook version of this title.

Mrs. by Caitlin Macy

• This novel is about the role of women in regard to socio-economic class.
• This novel is somewhat like Big Little Lies in how women are brought together, and their lives intertwine.

Just the Funny Parts by Nell Scovell

• This is a fun quick read.  I enjoyed Scovell's narration of the audiobook.
• The book covers Scovell's long career in television.
• Reading this novel made me think differently about the television I passively consume.