A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell

While I see how other readers would enjoy this novel, it wasn't for me.

• A family history that covers four generations.
• Three main characters that are sisters.  In my experience they are incredibly similar and blend together.
• The novel jumps through the life experiences of all four generations.
• The novel focuses on the importance that one person can have on generations to come.

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby

I've tried to be a Nick Hornby fan in the past and failed.  Finally, I found a Hornby novel that spoke to me.

• Fast pacing kept the novel from becoming too muddled with character's emotions.
• The Mad Men-esque setting allows the reader to (re)visit a different era.
• The novel had a very limited number of characters.
• The first half of the novel was more gripping than the second half.

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Water Knife explores a world where water is scarce making those with access to it powerful.  I learned about this book at ALA Midwinter and was excited to read it. 

• The story is told from the vantage points of three characters.  Their stories interact in several ways.
• These three characters offer a view into the experiences of three tiers of this struggling and violent society.
• The characters are real and likable.  The character Angel could have easily been a tough guy with little depth.  Instead, Bacigalupi crafts a character who is strong, tough, and has weaknesses.
• This is a quick read that balances plot action with character development.

Overall, it was an engaging and enjoyable read for this reader, who isn't typically drawn to thrillers.

Love May Fail by Matthew Quick

I was curious to read Quick's newest novel after the success of Silver Linings Playbook.

• The novel is composed of deeply flawed, but likable characters.
• The novel is efficiently told from the viewpoint of multiple characters.
• In the end, I'm not sure if I liked the ending.  It wrapped things up a bit too cleanly.

American Meteor by Norman Lock

This novel revels in Lock's storytelling set in the era of Manifest Destiny.

• This is a fanciful history that retains the grit that is so often washed away in historical fiction.
• This novel is not for history buffs, but lends itself better to a broad swath of readers.
• The narrator is incredibly likable, if unreliable.

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography

Surprisingly the audiobook translates well from print to the audio format.  With NPH as the narrator, the listener is taken on an the adventure of his life.

• The book captures NPH's trademark humor.
• The book is written in the second person (e.g. Next you are cast in a series playing a child doctor).
• NPH's candor about his shortcoming and failures adds to his likability.
• The listener/reader gets a behinds the scenes look into his career, most interestingly his time between Doogie Houser, M.D. and his recent return to fame.
• NPH details his exploration into magic and the work going into hosting award shows.

While not the best source for comprehensive and authoritative biographical information for NPH, his autobiography only deepens respect and admiration for this retired child doctor.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

This is a book about book lovers for book lovers.  If you are only mildly fond of reading and literature, then this isn't the book for you.

• This novel could have been just a quaint love story about book lovers, but it is so much more.
• It feels as if events happen in the plot, and then later you learn the back story of the characters.
• One of my favorite reads in the last year!