I was frustrated by what felt like disjointed cause and effect and lack of clear motivation on the characters' parts.

This first book in the Lady Janies trilogy is funny, and smart, with clever asides, wonderful character development, and fantastic banter.

Harper is appealingly centered despite upheaval in her life, but I didn't feel drawn into her admittedly interesting experiences.

The women's lifelong friendship felt like the heart of the story and was a fantastic element.

The title of the book feels like an important assertion from Lucy; she is finally owning who she is--her story, choices, and essence.

This is an engaging and quick read, and the mystery stories within the story are intriguing.

I was desperate for Ceelie to listen to her own needs after cancer treatment and take care of herself a little bit.

Joy offers an often dark work of Southern literary fiction in which bubbles of hope emerge.

Murderbot is a part-organic robot who continues to be inconveniently and fiercely loyal to certain humans.

Bug is forced to consider what loyalty means, and he must face a potentially dark path ahead.

Lydia had planned to spend the rest of her life with her fiance; now she's coming to terms with his recent and tragic loss.

Things don't all work out too easily in Hendrix's Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, but courage is satisfyingly rewarded.

In The Vanishing Half, Bennett explores the complicated implications of perception as reality when it comes to race.

There are not many surprises here, but Center offers great escapism into a close-knit Galveston, TX, community.

Mitchell expertly builds the band members into rich characters you're rooting for. More very welcome David Mitchell universe madness.

It's an excellent setup for a romantic comedy of a book with enough heartache that your teeth don't hurt from the sweetness.

In A Woman Is No Man, Rum explores the often powerless and voiceless status of her conservative Palestinian female characters.

Oluo offers specific steps we can take toward "talk[ing] our way to understanding...and using that understanding to act."

Authors El-Mohtar and Gladstone present rival elite agents, Red and Blue, who exist on opposite sides of an immense futuristic war.

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker is a fascinating, disturbing, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful book.