American War by Omar El Akkad

• This is as fresh take on the many post-apocalyptic novels, movies, and TV series on the market.
• In a way this could nearly be a teen or YA novel since during much of the novel the main character is under 18.
• The civil war in this novel is not a simple conflict of North vs. South, or good vs. bad. Instead there are many competing interests with lives caught in between them.
• I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to Akkad's next publication.

The Son by Phillip Meyer

• This is a gripping novel that covers the familial history of a large Texas ranch.
• The story is told through four viewpoints, which give windows into events impacting the all of the narrators.
• I am really enjoying the AMC show The Son.  The book and the TV series are somewhat like alternative realities.  They are very much alike, but different.  I find both to be quite enjoyable.

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia

• This novel focuses on the murder of a high school senior who had big plans to move to the city.
• Set in a small town, this novel showcases the many relationships between people in rural communities.
• This is a mystery that focuses on character development.

The Inseparables by Stuart Nadler

• This novel is told through multiple viewpoints via the perspectives of three generations of women in alternating chapters.
• This is a witty novel that addresses struggles we all face as we age.
• The novel highlights how conceptions of gender have changed over the decades, while others have not.

The Barrowfields by Phillip Lewis

• This novel combines a coming of age story with a Gothic architecture and a love of classic literature.
• The novel follows the main character over several years, and focuses how he changes while at college and law school.
• Throughout the book there are references to classic works of fiction.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

• The cover drew me into this children's chapter book, a genre I rarely read.
• The story follows Pax, a tame red fox, and his owner, a young boy.
• The story is told by alternating between their two viewpoints.

Programmed Inequality by Marie Hicks

• This book details how pre-automation clerical positions morphed into early programming positions.  This change was followed by the insertion of men into previously largely-female roles.
• The societal factors at play are complex and interesting.
• This is written with an academic focus including detailed notes.  It is not for the casual reader.