PositiveBookPageA noteworthy debut about looking back while moving forward. Friendship, love, regret, repression, grief, yearning, aging and new beginnings—Montague explores each of these themes with both creative and contemplative depth.
Louise Erdrich
RaveBookPagePropulsive ... Erdrich is a masterful literary juggler ... Erdrich takes on monumental themes in what just might be a new American classic.
Rick Jervis
PositiveBookPageJervis delivers the tragic, headline-grabbing story with staccato precision and emotional depth ... Jervis excels at conveying the frenzy of Ortiz’s crimes and his dramatic capture.
Peter Heller
PositiveBookPageOne of his best: It’s full of heart and soul amid the bleak landscape (be forewarned, there are numerous bodies). In fact, even those who don’t normally turn to dystopian novels are likely to be completely captivated. Heller excels at writing about the wilderness ... Burn interweaves the friends’ past and present lives with admirable flair, making each thread equally riveting.
Juliet Grames
PositiveBookPageThe novel contains a multitude of characters and plot threads, many of which require careful attention, causing confusion for Francesca and perhaps readers as well. There’s a big, abrupt twist at the very end, which makes one wonder if a sequel might be in store. With The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia, Grames has created a village teeming with life, and, as it turns out, danger and death.
Flynn Berry
RaveBookPageBerry’s crisp prose, artful plotting and short chapters make for another thrilling read ... It’s a cat-and-mouse game of the best kind, interspersing plenty of high-octane, frightening moments with Tessa’s quotidian joys, concerns and exhaustion as a single mother to 4-year-old Finn.
Tiya Miles
RaveBookPageIn her trademark deeply researched, thoughtful and exquisite prose, Miles successfully avoids popular depictions of Tubman as a superwoman ... Miles also brings to life the haunting sights, sounds and dark, bewildering moments that Tubman experienced as she led herself and others to safety through the night wilderness.
Essie Chambers
PositiveBookPageMesmerizing ... Finely crafted prose, never a saccharine moment and a plot that skillfully weaves together past and present.
Adam Higginbotham
RaveBookPageHefty, compelling and propulsive, Challenger overflows with revelatory details ... Proves Higginbotham is a master chronicler of disasters, demonstrating an unflinching ability to pierce through politics, power and bureaucracies with laser-sharp focus.
Kristin Hannah
PositiveBookPageHannah demonstrates her knack for blending broad sweeps of history with page-turning plots to immediately engross legions of readers in even the most difficult of subjects ... A compelling read as well as a new understanding of the Vietnam era.
Manjula Martin
RaveBookPageMartin offers her mesmerizing, beautifully written account of living through and trying to come to terms with the harrowing impacts of the climate crisis ... Martin’s writing is so immersive that readers will feel the stress ... Martin’s knowledge of nature and the land illuminate every page.
Val McDermid
RaveBookPagePirie is a probing, astute detective with a heart of gold and a taste for justice, even when she doesn’t get the support she needs from her superiors. Meanwhile, her relationship with Hamish is also on the line, so Pirie has plenty to ponder despite the world being seemingly on hold. Past Lying is another finely plotted Karen Pirie page turner that will leave readers wanting more.
Jonathan Raban
PositiveBookPageIt’s a highly personal account of two very different experiences of trauma, loss of agency and adjustment. Throughout, Raban is brutally honest ... It’s a sign of Raban’s talent and powerful voice that, even in death, he leaves readers wanting more.
Meg Kissinger
RaveBookPageA spellbinding account of one woman’s experience living through family trauma and a thoughtful attempt to reckon with the past. Kissinger asks tough questions and freely admits her own regrets while pointing out systemic problems with no easy answers.
William Kent Krueger
RaveBookPageExquisite ... In this page-turning, but also rewarding read, Krueger deepens the tightly-plotted central mystery by examining many horrors of history that reach out to affect the present day ... An excellent mystery but also so much more, making readers care about all of these flawed lives while unearthing painful truths about the xenophobia and racism nestled within small-town America.
Etaf Rum
PositiveBookPageRum’s observations about the intersections of Arab and Southern traditions and their similarities in art, history, media and food are particularly strong ... Evil Eye has the power to reach readers of all ages and cultures, who will undoubtedly cheer Yara on as she forges a new path.
Greg Marshall
RaveBookPage\"Marshall has written a riotously funny book that will grab your attention and steal your heart from the very first page. His writing brings to mind early David Sedaris, with its bitingly funny caricatures and descriptions, bathed in blistering commentary, deep-seated opinions, wit, intellect and, above all else, fierce family love ... Rare is the book that makes me both laugh out loud and shed actual tears, but Leg made me do both.\
Julia Lee
RaveBookPageSeamlessly blends her own experiences with piercing discussions of identity and racial stratification, serving up conclusions likely to challenge readers across the ideological spectrum ... An exceptional account of an evolving understanding of power and privilege, offering readers insightful new ways to examine their world.
Leta McCollough Seletzky
RaveBookPageSeletzky’s detailed yet fluid prose shapes her father’s story into a compelling narrative arc... while holding space for her to grapple with Mac’s history as a Black man spying on Black Power activists for the police. While Seletzky keeps the focus on her father’s story, his experiences and observations make intriguing contributions to the MLK assassination canon.
Jennifer Rosner
PositiveBookPageWhile many books have been written about children transported to various places for safety during World War II, Jennifer Rosner’s moving, well-researched second novel takes a penetrating look at the myriad murky moral choices involved ... At first, it’s puzzling to understand how Renata’s 1968 life relates to those of Roger, Ana and Oskar, but by the book’s conclusion, the connection is clear. Rosner does an excellent job of not judging the actions that adults take on behalf of her child characters while also deeply exploring the consequences.
Cathleen Schine
RaveBookPageSchine’s sharp wit is constantly on display ... Few authors could pull off the storytelling format of Künstlers in Paradise, but Schine does so seamlessly and marvelously, creating a multilayered saga about family dynamics and relationships, immigration, the early days of Hollywood and the often disturbingly cyclical nature of history ... A trove of unexpected rewards.
Ann Napolitano
PositiveBookPageThoughtfully examines the comforts and challenges of home life, work and romantic love, but with a distinctly modern perspective ... Napolitano goes to great lengths to explain and justify her characters’ choices—at times, at the expense of action and dialogue. Still, William and the Padavano sisters remain memorable, and Napolitano’s sharp plotting provides a gripping conclusion that radiates love and kindness, the sort you wish that all feuding families might find their way to ... This bighearted domestic novel reaches comforting highs and despairing lows as Napolitano examines the many ways that families pull each other together and apart.
Michelle Dowd
RaveBookPageExcellent ... Dowd’s narration is ultimately hopeful, uplifting and always appreciative of our intimate, fragile dependence on our planet.
De'Shawn Charles Winslow
RaveBookPageRevelations about the cast’s relationships not only move the mystery forward but also contain pitch-perfect zingers and crushing truths about race, privilege, pride and shame ... Winslow invites readers on a satisfying ride that, through his keen observations of human nature, leads to deeper considerations of the glacial progress of racial equality.
Rob Delaney
RaveBookPageUnspeakably admirable ... Delaney recounts the ordeal in searingly honest terms, conveying the intricate cobweb of emotions he experienced ... There are parcels of advice amid his frank, razor-sharp writing as well.
Michelle Obama
RaveBookPageExceptional ... Obama’s signature openness—in addition to her encouraging, sometimes funny, always chummy voice—make her relatable and admirable throughout the book ... The Light We Carry contains a multitude of other poignant, amusing anecdotes and helpful advice for all types of readers ... In these frequently dark times, The Light We Carry feels like a hug from a trusted advisor and a good friend.
Hugh Bonneville
RaveBookPageHis account is intriguing, breezy and full of intellect and humor. It’s also a delicious stroll down a red carpet lined with big names ... There’s no mean-spirited gossip in this memoir, just plenty of humorous self-deprecation and some laugh-out-loud anecdotes ... A must-read for Bonneville fans.
Kevin Hazzard
RaveBookPageReveals a hidden slice of history about the emergency services that we all depend on but largely take for granted. Kevin Hazzard, a print and television writer who worked as a paramedic in Atlanta for nearly a decade, does an excellent job of transforming his exhaustive research into a compelling narrative suitable to its gripping subject ... While the book is replete with white-knuckle medical emergencies, the real story here is the inspiring saga of how the paramedic profession was born ... American Sirens is a stirring, ultimately heartbreaking story in which jaw-dropping medical innovation meets racial prejudice. After finishing Hazzard’s memorable account, readers will never hear an ambulance siren the same way again.
Bobby Finger
RaveBookPageBillington, Texas, might be a small town, but readers of Bobby Finger’s exquisite debut novel, The Old Place, will quickly fall in love with this boondock burg and its make-you-laugh, break-your-heart characters ... small-town drama at its best ... One of the most remarkable things about The Old Place is how Finger, a 30-something Texas native and Brooklyn podcaster has so superbly captured the hearts and souls of this trio of 60-ish women. The novel is an extended meditation on the great joys and enduring heartaches of long-term relationships—and the hard work that’s required to maintain these bonds. Finger is fully cognizant of his characters’ many flaws, noting, for instance, that stubborn Mary Alice has at times been capable of raising \'so much hell they almost had to call in an exorcist.\' His portrayal of Mary Alice and Katherine’s love-hate relationship over the years is particularly poignant ... A broad supporting cast adds depth, drama and even romance to the mix. There’s also plenty of humor ... Finger has created his own kind of Lake Wobegon: a vibrant literary locale that readers will be loath to leave. Here’s hoping for more tantalizing, tempestuous tales.
Namwali Serpell
RaveBookPage... mesmerizing and endlessly thought-provoking ... Despite the story’s blurred but precisely chiseled layers of reality, The Furrows remains sharply focused, even when, midway through, this new Wayne suddenly takes over as narrator ... Turbulent, poetic and haunting, The Furrows is a stellar achievement.
Jonathan Escoffery
RaveBookPageA blazing success. With a profoundly authentic vision of family dynamics and racism in America, this collection of connected stories explores the young adulthood of a character named Trelawny ... Completely immersive, humorous yet heartbreaking ... Escoffery brings an imaginative, fresh voice to his deep exploration of what it means to be a man, son, brother, father and nonwhite immigrant in America
Beth Macy
RaveBookPageMacy continues this essential conversation in Raising Lazarus. Her fourth book zeroes in on why this crisis continues and how things can change, and the facts she presents will enlighten you and likely change your opinions on many important overdose-related issues ... Once again, Macy\'s up close and personal reporting is riveting as she weaves together multiple storylines ... The genius of Macy\'s writing is that she makes readers care, on every page, as she bears witness. This is heartfelt, informed writing at its best, and always personal. With Dopesick and now Raising Lazarus, Macy is a social historian and change-maker at the top of her game.
Ramona Emerson
PositiveBookPageIntriguing ... As the book progresses, the action revs up in both Rita\'s backstory and her crime-solving saga ... A promising debut that satisfyingly explores forensic photography and Diné culture within the New Mexico landscape, surrounded by the voices of some very engaging ghosts.
Alice Elliott Dark
RaveBookPage... marvelous ... [its] intricate plot and precise prose sparkle like the waters off the Maine coast where the book is set ... The contemporary conflict occurs during a time of millennial sea change, and Dark trains a sharp eye on the shifting tides of money, class, marriage and land ownership. She has created a phenomenal portrait of aging and the consequences of choices we\'re forced to make. Along with these concrete, realistic details, Fellowship Point also has a sort of fairy-tale quality when ruminating on literature and the struggle to create it ... [Dark\'s] exquisite craftsmanship shines throughout ... Reading this novel is a transportive experience, similar to spending a long, luxurious summer on the shores of a picturesque Maine peninsula. It\'s full of memorable adventures, tense moments of family drama and opportunities for restorative contemplation.
Hilary Mantel
RaveBookPage... a decidedly different yet equally rich treat ... These are evocative, precisely drawn, ghost-ridden tales about impoverished, difficult times, yet they are also filled with a growing awareness that better things await ... an unusual and ultimately fascinating amalgam of fact and fiction as Mantel sorts through the puzzle pieces of her past.
Terry Alford
RaveBookPageIn the Houses of Their Dead explores both the Lincolns’ and the Booths’ enthrallment with spiritualism, the belief that living people can communicate with deceased people’s spirits...Members of both families were shattered time after time by a litany of heartbreaking, often torturous illnesses and deaths, which inspired a desire to communicate with their dead loved ones...Alford seamlessly tells the two families’ stories, starting with the major players’ childhoods and continuing until their deaths—and after...Alford sets the historical stage well, allowing readers to understand the emotional underpinnings of Lincoln’s assassination, which he memorably describes.
Kirstin Chen
PositiveBookPage[A] lively caper ... Chen’s third novel is a breezy read with unexpected twists, carried along by Ava’s seemingly heartfelt narration as she confesses her involvement to a police detective. Along the way, there are plenty of fascinating details about luxury goods and the shadow industry of fake designer products ... Chen...is a versatile, savvy plotter, and Counterfeit readers will be easily drawn into this morally complicated world.
Jon Mooallem
RaveBookPageA transporting series of deep dives into surprising characters and situations ... Mooallem excels at writing about everything from climate change-fueled natural disasters to eccentric individuals ... Mooallem can also be deeply personal ... Like the very best essay collections, Serious Face takes readers to unexpected places, exploring a meaningful mix of joy, tragedy and downright absurdity. The subjects vary widely, but Mooallem is such a gifted storyteller that it almost doesn’t matter what he’s writing about; readers like myself will be ready to follow.
Hernan Diaz
RaveBookPageLike a tower of gifts waiting to be unwrapped, Trust offers a multitude of rewards to be discovered and enjoyed, its sharp observations so finely layered as to demand an immediate rereading ... Each section contains a compelling perspective that builds upon the one that came before ... After a slow, steady build, Trust shifts into high-octane gear in part three, an engrossing memoir by noted journalist Ida Partenzan ... If this series of interconnected narratives already sounds complicated, don’t worry: Each section flows easily into the next in Diaz’s supremely skilled hands, with increasing momentum and intrigue. Throughout, he examines the wide disparities between rich and poor, truth and fiction, and the insidious ways in which these divides have long been crafted. The fourth and final section, pages from Mildred’s diary, contains a startling twist to this literary feast—a wonderfully satisfying end to Diaz’s beautifully composed masterpiece.
Zain E Asher
RaveBookPageAsher is a master storyteller as she interweaves both of her parents’ life stories with her own upbringing. Thoughtful emotion and striking immediacy fill every scene, making for a mesmerizing read from start to finish ... It’s important to note that Obiajulu, for all her single-minded focus on achieving excellence—and her sometimes shocking strategies—doesn’t come off as overbearing. She empowered her children to believe in the seemingly impossible and to focus on personal achievement, not competition. Where the Children Take Us is an enlightening and entertaining read that will likely challenge readers to reexamine their views on child rearing and education.
Dolen Perkins-Valdez
RaveBookPageThere’s nothing better than settling down to read a novel and immediately sensing that you’re in the hands of a gifted storyteller. Such is the feeling from the first pages of Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s illuminating third novel, Take My Hand ... As reproductive rights continue to be at risk, Take My Hand could hardly be more timely. Perkins-Valdez offers an intriguing, detailed look at the way the government deals with such cases ... Perkins-Valdez’s fictional characters are well rounded, although hints at romance between Civil and the sisters’ father seem somewhat contrived.
Brian Morton
RaveBookPage...hilarious yet tender ... Morton excels at bringing his novelist’s eye to many such standoffs, including picking up his mother at the police station on more than one occasion ... his superb storytelling skills add a helpful dose of levity. As a result, Tasha takes a difficult topic and transforms it into a soulful and often funny memoir about spirited mothers, refreshingly told from a son’s point of view. The book’s unique ending, which gives Tasha the last word, is an absolute tour de force.
Erika Krouse
RaveBookPageWith utmost care and consideration for the victims, some of whom chose not to come forward, Krouse gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the complications of pursuing a Title IX case. Her narrative voice is engaging, and she effortlessly relates legal complexities in succinct, easy-to-follow passages. As a result, learning how Krouse and her legal team patiently unraveled the scope of the university’s involvement reads like a detective novel. Particularly riveting are the scenes in which Krouse speaks with various witnesses, often in bars or restaurants, trying to parse out what happened on the night of that ill-fated party ... Both the true crime and memoir components of Krouse’s book are extremely successful, and her reflections on the injured party’s difficult choice to make their pain public are crisp and on point ... a memorable, highly personal account of a landmark legal case, as well as a thoughtful examination of the long-lasting damage of sexual assault.
Karen Joy Fowler
RaveBookPageI felt...mesmerized as I devoured the 480 pages of Karen Joy Fowler’s triumph of a historical novel, Booth. I was torn by conflicting urges: to race ahead to see what happens next, or to read slowly and savor Fowler’s exquisite language and fascinating rendering of the various members of this legendary American family ... Many readers will begin Booth with the basic knowledge that John Wilkes Booth came from a famous theatrical family, but it’s unlikely that they’ll know just how celebrated and fascinating the Booths were ... The story is told primarily by three of John Wilkes’ siblings—Rosalie, Edwin and Asia—all of whom are equally fascinating and well voiced. Early scenes narrated by Rosalie are particularly powerful and memorable. Fowler includes short passages about Lincoln and his family, ratcheting up the tension of what’s to come. With a master’s touch, she also incorporates vital depictions of racism through the lives of an enslaved family that works on the Booth farm, and shows how the issue of enslavement divides the Booth family through the years ... Like the very best historical novels, Booth is a literary feast, offering much more than a riveting story and richly drawn characters. It offers a wealth of commentary about not only our past but also where we are today, and where we may be headed.
Catherine Price
RaveBookPageIt’s a natural sequel to her previous book, as well as a similarly satisfying—and transformational—read. This naturally fun and funny writer dug her dusty guitar out of the closet and became part of an enriching musical community that has changed her life ... even those whose lives are already highly entertaining will come to view and value their pastimes in a new light ... Price is a trustworthy guide with a personable voice that stands out on each page. The Power of Fun reads like a heaping serving of a tasty yet healthy snack. You’ll enjoy every bite and feel energized afterward.
Charmaine Wilkerson
RaveBookPage... exquisitely paced ... Readers will quickly find themselves immersed in a mysterious, gripping journey, one that unfolds in brief but bountiful chapters and even includes a suspected murder ... Wilkerson navigates multiple points of view and time frames while addressing—always with just the right touch—issues of domestic violence, race, sexual identity, colonialism, prejudice and more. Fans of family dramas by Ann Patchett, Brit Bennett and Karen Joy Fowler should take note. Black Cake marks the launch of a writer to watch, one who masterfully plumbs the unexpected depths of the human heart.
Tomiko Brown-Nagin
RaveBookPage[A] meticulously researched, fascinating biography ... Brown-Nagin excels at packing in intriguing minute details while still making them easily understood, as well as at contextualizing each scene historically ... While Motley’s storied career is precisely explored, readers may still feel at arm’s length from the woman herself. This may be due to the fact that Motley was a notably reserved woman, although by all accounts warm and engaging ... the unforgettable story of a legal pioneer who changed the course of history, superbly elucidated by Brown-Nagin.
Thrity Umrigar
RaveBookPageReaders will find themselves completely immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of India ... a multifaceted examination of Smita’s love-hate relationship with her native country, a place that fills her heart yet is besieged with assaults on women ... a well-rounded portrait of a complicated country ... the blend of passion alongside brutality sometimes makes for an uneasy mix. Nonetheless, readers are likely to remain engaged with the story and its well-drawn characters. Whether she’s writing about the bright lights of Mumbai or the poverty of village life, Umrigar excels at creating engaging situations and scenes. Readers will appreciate this novel’s deep understanding of the many complexities of Indian society.
Meg Waite Clayton
PositiveBookPageClayton excels at creating fictional worlds, weaving historical details with lively dialogue and rich scene-setting details ... Tension builds throughout the novel, culminating in a grueling, dangerous escape attempt that\'s full of surprises.
Nikole Hannah-Jones
RaveBookPageFor any lover of American history or letters, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story is a visionary work that casts a sweeping, introspective gaze over what many have aptly termed the country\'s original sin: the moment in 1619, one year before the Mayflower arrived, when a ship docked at the colony of Virginia to deliver 20 to 30 enslaved people from Africa. While many books have addressed enslavement and its repercussions, few, if any, have done so in such an imaginative, all-encompassing way, incorporating history, journalism, fiction, poetry and photography to show the cataclysmic repercussions of that pivotal moment ... A superb expansion ... The sheer breadth of this book is refreshing and illuminating, challenging each and every reader to confront America\'s past, present and future.
Nathaniel Ian Miller
RaveBookpage... so authentic in both detail and slightly archaic narrative voice that it’s easy to forget it’s not an actual memoir ... a truly walloping tale of solitude and survival told in visceral detail, a combination of Miller’s wild imagination and his beautifully precise prose. By design, the novel is so full of lengthy descriptions that a certain amount of perseverance is required of the reader. But Sven is an insightful yet comically ironic narrator, and there is often great excitement in his story ... an unforgettable narrator who asks essential questions of human connection, a remarkable achievement for a novel ostensibly about solitude ... Like the arctic landscape itself, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is beautifully stark and unimaginably rich, a book that will long be remembered by its lucky readers.
Nick Offerman
PositiveBookPage... an undeniable immediacy, as though readers are spending the day hiking right beside him ... There are humorous missteps as well, bringing to mind Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, although Offerman’s descriptions of the glorious trails will leave readers ready to make a beeline to Glacier ... Laced with humor, intellect and fierce passion, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is an entertaining getaway to a variety of unexpected American vistas.
Susan Orlean
RaveBookPageRegardless of whether you’re an animal lover, On Animals is a fabulously fun collection of essays ... Orlean is such a virtuoso of unexpected joys and delights that she can make even the story of a lost dog read like a thriller ... Her style seems meandering at times, but each essay always returns to its glorious point, even when following an aside ... Whether she’s encountering a donkey laden with four televisions in Morocco, or extolling the global appeal of pandas, Orlean’s high-octane enthusiasm never wanes ... Orlean’s readers will find themselves completely diverted by On Animals’ irresistible menagerie.
Amor Towles
RaveBookPage... [a] superb, sprawling, cross-country saga ... Towles continues to transport readers, immersing them just as completely in the adventures of the Watson brothers he did in the seemingly claustrophobic lives of Count Rostov and his young sidekick ... Packed with drama ... Towles’ fans will be rewarded with many of the same pleasures they’ve come to expect from him: a multitude of stories told at a leisurely pace (the novel clocks in at 592 pages); numerous endearing and sometimes maddening characters; and pitch-perfect plotting with surprises at every turn. As if that weren’t enough, the novel is chock-full of literary references ... Towles has created another winning novel whose pages are destined to be turned—and occasionally tattered—by gratified readers.
Mary Roach
RaveBookPageThis book is such a rich stew of anecdotes and lore that it’s best savored slowly, bit by bit. Roach doles out surprising true tales from her around-the-world survey of human-wildlife relations ... Roach also tackles deeply serious topics in Fuzz, such as the death and destruction caused by certain wandering elephants, or bears whose DNA needs to be traced in order to track down one who killed a person. But no matter the situation, Roach approaches it with contagious enthusiasm ... Fuzz will open readers’ eyes to a myriad of animal rights issues, and possibly change their attitudes about how to approach them.
Peter Heller
RaveBookPagePeter Heller takes readers on another thrilling wilderness adventure in The Guide ... Heller is an expert at building suspense, and he’s a first-rate nature writer, lending authenticity to the wealth of wilderness details he provides ... He also uses a notable layout technique—adding space between each paragraph—that makes readers turn his thrilling pages even faster. One warning, however: Heller’s novels...are not for the faint of heart. Still, The Guide is a glorious getaway in every sense, a wild wilderness trip as well as a suspenseful journey to solve a chilling mystery.
Derek B. Miller
RaveBookPage... rollicking ... Miller has crafted a wide-ranging, years-spanning yet tightly structured plot, and he excels at placing memorable characters in unusual circumstances ... An underlying seriousness lies at the heart of all of this intrigue, hilarity and fun ... The ending of How to Find Your Way in the Dark is nothing short of brilliant, tying up a variety of loose ends while making a powerful statement about the need to fully recognize and address antisemitism. Readers are left with much to ponder, including life’s many uncertainties and cruel twists of fate. Despite these unhappy truths, we are also left with the uplifting wisdom of Lenny’s urgent prayer: \'Dear God, give me the strength to be joyful.\'
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
PositiveBookPage... engrossing ... Marie Benedict (who is white) and Victoria Christopher Murray (who is Black) do an admirable job of trying to imagine whether her achievements were worth the sacrifices. Despite the fact that Belle burned her personal papers before she died, no doubt to protect her secret, the authors succeed in bringing her elusive, charismatic personality to life, highlighting her attention-grabbing style, her witty quips and her rich, complicated relationship with Morgan ... Although the novel may have benefitted from a more sharply focused narrative arc, the authors take full advantage of the treasure trove of intriguing historical detail at their disposal ... There is much to enjoy in The Personal Librarian, as well as much to consider.
Laurie Frankel
PositiveBookPageIt’s rare when a book is decidedly grim—dire, even—yet still manages to be as full of comfort, humor and hope as One Two Three, a thought-provoking allegory about corporate greed, environmental activism, parent-child relationships and the bonds and betrayals of sisterly love ... Frankel reveals their stories in artful prose laced with humor, much of it dark ... The town is filled with wonderful characters ... The result is a warm, funny tour de force that has much to say about big business, the ways that tragedies unfold, the power of citizens to effect change and the passing of civic responsibility from one generation to the next ... a very different story indeed—one that is delightfully memorable and wildly empowering.
Alex Michaelides
PositiveBookPageFans of Alex Michaelides’ blockbuster debut The Silent Patient will eagerly dive into his newest thriller ... Michaelides’ page-turner cleverly weaves together Mariana’s difficult and haunted past, her group therapy patients, Greek mythology and the increasing local tension as more girls are killed. He makes excellent use of the Cambridge University setting, with its gothic settings, traditions and hierarchy of students, professors and staff. As clues emerge and danger grows, Mariana becomes more and more sure of her sleuthing, although frustrated readers may often want to shake her and point her in other directions ... a well-paced, suspenseful and easy-to-digest thriller. The Greek tragedy aspect is intriguing and Michaelides explains the mythology, so there’s no need to brush up beforehand. Be forewarned, however: there’s a supremely unsettling, sure-to-be-divisive twist at the end of this cliffhanger.
Elizabeth Letts
RaveBookPageThis is a feel-good story in every way, and Letts keeps the momentum lively, sprinkling in interesting historical tidbits that enrich the drama. The Ride of Her Life is an altogether quirky, inspiring journey that’s not to be missed.
Eleanor Morse
RaveBookPageEleanor Morse’s precise, patient prose captivates from page one ... Morse expertly plays with...perspective, showing how global events seep into every molecule of the family’s life ... Margreete’s Harbor is also a particularly tender portrait of a family faced with dementia ... Full of love, triumph and a boatload of heartbreak, Margreete’s Harbor is a celebration of life’s inevitable messiness. As after any good visit with family or dear friends, you will leave feeling satisfied while yearning for more.
Vince Granata
RaveBookPageGranata bravely and lovingly chronicles his family’s story—before, during and after the tragedy—in his riveting memoir ... Granata writes with compassion, reflection and unsparing honesty of not only his brother’s metamorphosis but also his own transformation after the crime—how he was finally able to find his way back to his life, memories and love of his brother. Some of the book’s most memorable scenes take place during his visits with Tim in Connecticut’s Whiting Forensic Hospital, where Tim was sent to be \'restored to competency\' so that he could eventually be tried for his crime ... Anyone trying to better understand the cruel grip of psychosis will learn much from Everything Is Fine.
Walter Isaacson
RaveBookPage... marvelous ... hefty but inspiring ... With his dynamic and formidable style, Isaacson explains the long scientific journey that led to this tool’s discovery and the exciting developments that have followed ... Like Lab Girl on steroids, The Code Breaker paints a detailed picture of how scientists work ... The timing of Isaacson’s book could hardly be better ... For readers seeking to understand the many twists, turns and nuances of the biotechnology revolution, there’s no better place to turn than The Code Breaker.
Julia Cooke
PositiveBookPage... fascinating ... Cooke has created a sweeping account of not only the airline industry and its cultural history but also women’s evolution in the workforce. She blends an overview of the job with the personal stories of several (real!) flight attendants, dispelling ludicrous myths and showing how Pan Am presented adventurous, curious women with a way to see the world at a time when their opportunities were limited ... An entertaining and informative narrator, Cooke has a big story to tell and excels at painting her panorama in broad strokes. At times, however, readers may find themselves wishing for a few more anecdotes, as well as more direct quotations from the women she profiles. Nonetheless, many of her accounts are memorable ... Come Fly the World is an eye-opening account of female flight attendants’ successes and struggles in the not-so-distant past.
Jennifer Ryan
RaveBookPage... positively delicious ... Ryan continues to excel at creating warmhearted, intriguing homefront drama ... Ryan uses alternating chapters to explore each woman’s personality, moving the drama steadily along with brisk dialogue and action. This is very much a book about women’s rights, strengths and abilities, and the class differences among characters add drama and a dash of complexity ... Recipes are included for each round, some adapted from wartime leaflets. They’re fun to read, and each is well integrated into the unfolding drama...Historical details sprinkled throughout are equally fascinating ... Ryan injects humor into their sorrow—as well as empowerment—as the group gradually learns to band together and pool their talents instead of facing off as kitchen opponents ... While The Kitchen Front goes down like a spoonful of sugar, Ryan manages to instill substance and plenty of food for thought in its creative and ultimately uplifting story.
Suleika Jaouad
RaveBookPageRaised to roam the globe, Jaouad found that her world had suddenly shrunk to a hospital room at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she underwent a stem cell transplant and other grueling treatments, which she began chronicling in a New York Times column called \'Life Interrupted.\' Her engrossing memoir, Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of Life Interrupted, paints a more complete portrait of her experiences during and after treatment ... Between Two Kingdoms is a thoughtful book from a talented young writer who never sugarcoats or falls prey to false hope ... Her message will ring helpful and true to many, regardless of the challenges they face.
Nancy Johnson
RaveBookPageIt takes tremendous talent to seamlessly combine social commentary with a powder keg of a plot, and Nancy Johnson accomplishes just that in her gripping debut novel, The Kindest Lie, addressing issues of race, class, privilege and upward mobility ... Don’t miss this powerful debut.
Gabrielle Glaser
RaveBookPage[A] heart-wrenching tale that will resonate with many ... The results of Glaser’s extensive research read like a well-crafted, tension-filled novel ... American Baby is a powerful, memorable story.
Charlie Gilmour
RaveBookPageIn folklore, magpies are said to bring bad luck, but that certainly wasn’t the case for Charlie Gilmour. An abandoned baby bird helped this young British author finally exorcise the long shadow cast by his biological father, who abandoned him as an infant. Gilmour’s remarkable memoir, Featherhood: A Memoir of Two Fathers and a Magpie, explains in lively, compelling detail how caring for this bird prepared him to become a father himself. With razor-sharp wit and storytelling, Gilmour interweaves the story of this bird, whom he and his partner named Benzene, with that of his past ... Featherhood represents the debut of a talented young writer reckoning with an unusual past.
Una Mannion
PositiveBookPage\"...[a] taut, richly imagined debut ... The story tackles many issues, including divorce, parental death, grief and child molestation, as well as class and immigration issues, making this nostalgic 1980s story surprisingly topical ... A Crooked Tree marks the welcome debut of a talented, captivating new voice.
Martin Puchner
PositiveBookPage...unusual, intriguing ... While such sweeping history is interesting, the crux of his story is personal ... While Puchner’s scholarly interests remain in focus, he writes clearly and thoughtfully, using history to examine past, present and future.
Stuart Turton
RaveBookPage... artfully combines intriguing characters, fascinating historical details and a seafaring labyrinth of twists and turns ... There is never a dull moment in this 480-page whodunit, but readers will be thankful not to be physically aboard for the grueling journey ... A trio of women (the captain’s wife, daughter and mistress) are also sleuthing, adding a refreshingly feminine twist to this Sherlock Holmes-styled mystery. Turton’s characterizations dovetail nicely with his careful, clever plotting. Meanwhile, he uses history to his advantage, adding dollops of commentary on women’s rights, class privilege and capitalism that lend the novel a contemporary vibe ... History and mystery lovers alike will delight in the heart-racing escapades.
Debora Harding
RaveBookPageSome memoirs recount riveting stories. Others are notable for their masterful storytelling. Debora Harding’s Dancing With the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime accomplishes both ... With remarkable perception, Dancing With the Octopus shows how, day by day, year by year, both her criminal assault and family dysfunction left Harding with a lifetime of consequences ... One of the book’s great strengths is how artfully Harding lays out the details of her multifaceted story, weaving in and out of time rather than relying on a chronological timetable ... unique and unforgettable.
Sarah Maslin Nir
RaveBookPageNot surprisingly, her writing is energetic, exquisite and enthralling enough to appeal to both horse fanatics and more casual readers alike ... Reminiscent of Susan Orlean’s The Library Book in its fascinating examination of a singular topic, Horse Crazy is an expertly crafted, wrenchingly honest memoir.
Isabel Wilkerson
RaveBookPageWilkerson’s comparisons are profound and revelatory ... what makes this book so memorable is Wilkerson’s extraordinary narrative gift. Highly readable, Caste is filled with a multitude of stories, many of which are tragically familiar, such as those of Trayvon Martin and Freddie Gray ... Wilkerson is never didactic. She lets history speak for itself, turning the events of the past into necessary fuel for our current national dialogue ... If you read only one book this year, make it Caste, Wilkerson’s outstanding analysis of the grievances that plague our society.
Betsy Bonner
PositiveBookPage... laser-sharp prose ... Part exorcism and part adoring tribute, The Book of Atlantis Black is deeply haunting and darkly fascinating.
Brit Bennett
RaveBookPage...Brit Bennett’s exquisite second novel...weaves together scenes from the 1950s through the ’90s, tackling such issues as racism, identity, gender and inherited trauma ... This is a novel to be devoured slowly, not only for its intriguing plot and exploration of vital issues but also for its gorgeous writing. Bennett digs deep into the history of colorism and racism in America and explores how far their poisons can reach ... The Vanishing Half calls to mind the work of Toni Morrison, Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Strout. Bennett writes like a master, creating rich worlds filled with a broad cast of characters, all shining brightly in memorable moments both big and small.
Svenja O'Donnell
PositiveBookPage[O\'Donnell] lets events unfold chronologically while seamlessly interspersing conversations with her mother and grandmother, both natives of Germany, with her own research and travel to important family landmarks in Europe ... O’Donnell provides thoughtful commentary every step of the way ... O’Donnell has created a story that reads like a novel filled with fascinating history and excellent detective work.
Bess Kalb
RaveBookPage... kudos to Kalb, who pulls off this daring approach brilliantly, allowing readers to hear her grandmother’s inimitable voice ... Not surprisingly, given Kalb\'s chosen career, there are laughs galore throughout the book ... Yet this account runs much deeper than a typical comedy routine. Kalb frequently shares the immense challenge of imagining her grandmother’s voice ... These many enthralling tales (along with family photographs) unfold in a carefully structured yet nonlinear fashion (think This Is Us). The result is lively and fascinating, funny yet poignant ... In a bold stroke of literary bravura, Kalb has turned the formula for writing memoirs inside out, bringing her grandmother’s distinctive voice back to life and sharing it with a legion of lucky readers.
Adrienne Raphel
PositiveBookPageRaphel takes readers on a deep lexical dive into the history and culture surrounding the beloved linguistic sport ... Her enthusiastic account will appeal to all sorts of puzzle and word lovers, even those who are just dabblers ... lively chapters ... At times the book is uneven, however, with certain chapters more engaging than others. Nonetheless, Thinking Inside the Box offers a unique crossword puzzle tour that will likely have you sharpening your pencil by book’s end.
Ariana Neumann
RaveBookPageNeumann shares the results of her meticulous research in a brilliantly heart-wrenching memoir ... filled with heartbreaking, spine-tingling stories. But Neumann’s treasure trove of personal history isn’t solely responsible for the book’s appeal: she’s a gifted, visceral writer as well, bringing each character alive as they experience the horrors of World War II. When Time Stopped is a notable new memoir not to be missed.
C Pam Zhang
RaveBookPage... [an] action-packed...standout debut ... Unfolding in a carefully structured, nonlinear fashion, the novel repeatedly questions what makes a home a home and what makes a family a family ... Zhang’s sparse prose style may initially take some getting used to, but both language and plot remain clearly focused. Daringly original, How Much of These Hills Is Gold is gritty and frequently gruesome, yet at times magical and ethereal ... Zhang’s laser-sharp reexamination of America’s myth-laden past is likely to help bring clarity to many issues that continue to challenge us all.
Cassie Chambers
RaveBookPage... a quietly moving, powerful memoir in which Chambers shares her family’s story while praising the fortitude, intelligence and strength of Appalachian women ... Never didactic or dull, Chambers is particularly skillful at sharing her family’s narrative while weaving in facts and commentary about Appalachian sociology, education, health, economics and politics. Most of all, the author’s love and respect for her Granny (married at age 15 to a man she had known for a few months), mother (married at 18, the first in her family to graduate high school or college) and Aunt Ruth (an independent woman who married in her 40s) shine through, brightening each page like a welcoming front porch light ... In this age of political divisions, Hill Women offers a loving, luminous look at an often misunderstood and undervalued segment of our society.
Mo Rocca
PositiveBookPageDown-to-earth and likable, Rocca is always entertaining and often funny ... Rocca’s heart is often on his sleeve ... Much of the great fun here is this book’s smorgasbord style— its wide-ranging scope of subjects combined with Rocca’s folksy storytelling. Mobituaries may seem to focus on death, but the book’s real heart is Rocca’s lively sense of joy and wonder.
Joe Posnanski
RaveBookPageThe Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini is hardly a typical biography; it’s more like taking an up-close-and-personal tour of the escape artist’s life, narrated not only by author Joe Posnanski in his wonderfully entertaining prose but also by a host of colorful experts whom the author tracks down ... When a talented writer like Posnanski tackles a subject as endlessly fascinating as Harry Houdini, the results are, quite simply, pure magic.
Erin Morgenstern
RaveBookpageParalleling Susan Orlean’s The Library Book, a nonfiction ode to books, libraries and librarians, The Starless Sea is a fictional journey dedicated to stories and storytelling. Both are lively, inventive titles chock-full of book-centric quotes. This hefty novel requires imaginary leaps and careful attention to stories and characters that wind their way in many different directions, but Morgenstern—now proving not once, but twice, what an adept literary juggler she is—manages to weave a multitude of strands together into one mighty, magical tale.
Lara Prescott
RaveBookPagePrescott’s deft treatment of this little-known, stranger-than-fiction saga could hardly be more fascinating ... In the end, Prescott ties this world-spanning novel together with aplomb. With multiple narrators and two riveting but complicated plotlines set on opposite sides of the globe, The Secrets We Kept abounds with not only intrigue but also plenty of joy, heartbreak and, yes, humor.
Jill Heitert
PositiveBookPage...the journeys [Heinerth] describes...make for exciting, edge-of-your-seat reading. Not only is Heinerth’s memoir thoughtfully structured and adrenaline-filled, but it also offers a fascinating account of exactly how one becomes a renowned, record-setting adventurer ... There’s never a dull moment in Into the Planet, which bursts with full-throttle exuberance for the highs, and sometimes even the lows, of being a pioneering, modern-day explorer.
John Waters
PositiveBookPage...there’s no denying that Waters is a whip-smart (he’d no doubt like that description), funny, multitalented and unique cultural icon. He’s also an artist and book collector, and these essays reflect his endless assortment of interests ... His multitude of descriptions never cease to amuse ... While it’s certainly not a book for everyone, Waters’ legion of admirers will be lining up in droves to hop aboard the Mr. Know-It-All bus.
Casey Cep
PositiveBookPage[Cep is] a thorough researcher and polsihed writer ... Harper Lee fans may find themselves impatient to read about her, as she doesn’t appear until more than halfway through the book, but they’ll be rewarded for the wait. While the myriad mysteries about Lee’s life seem unlikely to ever be resolved, Furious Hours offers an absorbing glimpse into the gifted but guarded life of this enigmatic literary hero.
Mark Bowden
PositiveBookPage\"... mesmerizing ... The Last Stone will leave readers on the edge of their seats as a group of indefatigable detectives tries to unearth the carefully concealed, unspeakable truths behind a decades-old tragedy.\
Mallory O'Meara
RaveBookPage\"Those [biographical] details alone would be enough to make this an interesting read, but O’Meara adds her own unique narrative voice, including 177 fact-filled, endlessly funny footnotes. This is a book that O’Meara was born to write, and she seamlessly meshes her own life story with that of her heroine in a way similar to how Julie Powell paid tribute to Julia Child in Julie and Julia ... Even if you’re not a fan of horror films, The Lady from the Black Lagoon is a riveting, sincere Hollywood saga that will quickly win your heart.\
Cara Robertson
PositiveBookPage\"... highly readable ... Readers will feel as though they’re part of the investigation and trial ... The Trial of Lizzie Borden is a welcome addition to the lore [of this tale], the perfect starting point for modern-day readers to launch their own inquiries.\
Stephanie Land
RaveBookPage\"... insightful, moving ... Land combines her raw, authentic voice and superb storytelling skills to create a firsthand account from the trenches. Readers will be left wanting to hear more from this talented new voice, and no doubt, she’s got more stories to tell.\
Julie Yip-Williams
RaveBookpageExceptional ... [an] exquisite, honest memoir about living with and dying of cancer is equal parts practical and philosophical ... Yip-Williams writes unflinchingly of learning to move forward with the disease ... Full of love, humor, insight and tragedy, her book resonates with wisdom.
Joann Chaney
PositiveBookPage\"Grab a towel—although it’s early in the year, JoAnn Chaney’s As Long as We Both Shall Live is the perfect beach read, a multiple-murder and suspense saga that will keep readers engrossed and guessing ... Chaney continues to explore dark themes with her quick but effective character studies and zippy prose. The Colorado-based author is particularly adept at juggling multiple narrators and plot lines, revealing a multitude of tantalizing thoughts and actions while keeping the suspense as high as those Rocky Mountains.\
Susan Gubar
RaveBookPageLate-Life Love is a unique blend of memoir and literary commentary, with Gubar at the helm as an accomplished, bravely honest and mesmerizing guide ... Theirs is a cerebral household catering to a cavalcade of friends, children and grandchildren; readers will delight in being welcomed into the fold ... Reading these analyses is like having a season ticket to a series of fascinating literary discussions.
Khalida Brohi
RaveBookPageKhalida Brohi, named one of Forbes \'30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs in Asia,\' has an engrossing, important story to tell about her childhood in Pakistan ... Writing in compelling, page-turning prose, Brohi shares a deeply felt, intimate portrait of what it means to be a global activist. There’s even a love story―one with a happy ending. Don’t miss I Should Have Honor, which deserves a legion of caring, activist readers.
Beth Macy
RaveBookPageDopesick is no doubt the hardest book that award-winning journalist Beth Macy (Truevine, Factory Man) has written, and it left this reviewer in tears ... It’s a heart-wrenching and thorough treatise on the national crisis that everyone knows about, but few deeply understand ... Macy addresses a wealth of complex issues in her engaging, spitfire prose ... Macy is a masterful storyteller, and Dopesick is full of unforgettable stories, including those of policemen, caregivers, prosecutors and a dope dealer named Ronnie Jones ... Dopesick is a moving, must-read analysis of a national crisis.
Alissa Quart
PositiveBookpageSqueezed: Why Our Families Can’t Afford America provides an in-depth look at two things people all too often shy away from discussing: money and class. The term standard of living, Quart notes, is used less and less, perhaps because \'the notion that a relatively high quality of life should include small pleasures and comforts has faded.\' ... Quart introduces readers to a variety of people and families being squeezed, whom she calls the Middle Precariat—a \'just making-it group,\' who \'believed that their training or background would ensure that they would be properly, comfortably middle-class,\' but whose assumptions turned out to be wrong.
Nell Irvin Painter
RaveBookPage...[a] bold, brave account ... Old in Art School is a fascinating memoir about Painter’s daring choice to follow a passion with courage and intellect, even when the odds seemed firmly stacked against her.
David Sedaris
RaveBookPageReading Calypso, Sedaris’ latest collection of essays, is like settling into a glorious beach vacation with the author, whose parents, siblings and longtime boyfriend, Hugh, feel like old friends to faithful readers ... While Sedaris is laugh-out-loud funny in his brilliant, meandering way, it’s his personal reflections that will stay with you.
Gregory Pardlo
RaveBookPage\"Air Traffic is a narrative digest of his life and those of his family members, several of whom also experienced dramatic rises and falls. The poet delves deeply into a mosaic of memories, chronicling growing up black in Willingboro, New Jersey, in the 1970s and the battles he, his brother, father and other relatives have fought with depression, alcoholism and mental illness ... Pardlo seems to be defying the odds, turning his pain into mesmerizing poetry and prose.\
Kushanava Choudhury
RaveBookPageReaders grow to understand Calcutta’s complexities and contradictions as Choudhury explains its history and introduces neighborhoods and inhabitants. The Epic City is most compelling when he explores his own past, taking us to his grandmother’s house for her funeral and showing us the two-room house where his father (one of 13 children) grew up. Despite Calcutta’s difficulties, Choudhury’s passion never wanes.
Shoba Narayan
RaveBookPageIndeed, she [Narayan] feeds readers a good story in her udderly delightful The Milk Lady of Bangalore ... When Narayan, her husband and their two daughters moved from New York City back to the couple’s native India, Narayan was no doubt looking for something to write about. She found it right in the elevator of her new apartment building: a cow riding up to the third floor for a housewarming ceremony, led by its owner, Sarala... Sarala led the author straight into a herd of often funny and always fascinating bovine adventures... There’s plenty of heart and soul in this book as Narayan takes readers on a unique tour of her Indian neighborhood, where there’s never a dull moment. Narayan is an astute observer, particularly of herself.
Deborah Campbell
RaveBookPageIn riveting, heartbreaking detail, Campbell seamlessly weaves together her own search and investigation with Ahlam’s horrific imprisonment and interrogation. Campbell also provides an excellent primer on how the Middle East’s complex history has contributed to the area’s strife. This is an important, chilling book that explores the ongoing plight of Syria’s citizens and refugees, as well as the perilous struggles of the journalists who deliver their stories to the rest of the world.
