01 A Burning by Megha Majumdar “Many years ago I would have been asking why is this happening? But now I am knowing that there is no use...

01 Inland by Téa Obreht Much of Téa Obreht's Inland is centered around Nora, an impulsive, hot-tempered, strong woman fighting for a...

A book that fascinated me, in case you missed it! This was often brutal to read, but it was beautifully written, in a style that felt...

01 Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout Oh, Olive! In Olive, Again, she ambles through town and reflects on aging, on her life, and...

Young Vivian's carousing in 1940s New York City is entertaining, sexy, and an interesting burst of feminism and freedom in the era. In...

01 With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt In Leavitt's novel, published by Algonquin Books late last summer, Simon and Stella have been...

In the story of tragic Carlota, each turn of events was more ill-fated and darker than the next, all barreling toward ruin and...

01 The Huntress by Kate Quinn I'm in for World War II-set books with tough, brave female protagonists, and I loved this book. Nina...

Nick is an appealing character, I adored the detailed setting, and the mystery's resolution makes sense without seeming too easy. I'm...

01 The Fighting Bunch: The Battle of Athens by Chris DeRose The young men of McMinn County, Tennessee, are coming home after fighting in...

01 The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren Christina Lauren is the pen name for Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, who write as a team....

Valpy's detailed Scottish setting and character development are wonderful, and I was equally invested in and engaged by both of the...

01 Skyhunter by Marie Lu My copy of the book unfortunately does not have this gorgeously mesmerizing cover. But I'm still excited to read...

This is an appealingly cozy and old-fashioned mystery, with the flavors, sights, and sounds of colonial India underlying everything. It's...

Zhang's detail was wonderful, and her characters make noble sacrifices and face impossible choices. The book's frequent heartbreak was a...

01 To Sleep in a Sea of Stars I'd like to mention up front that To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is 878 pages, so if you never hear from me...

I love an intersection of historical fiction and mystery, two genres I love. Some of the books listed here also have supernatural elements.

Many of her characters find themselves in despairingly difficult situations, but Kline offers glimmers of hope as well.

I'm fascinated by the optimistic explorer spirit--and I love reading about strong female characters in challenging terrain and situations.

01 The Exiles Christina Baker Kline, who authored Orphan Train (which I really liked) and A Piece of the World (which I loved), tells the...