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.