loss | The Bossy Bookworm

Jun 4

Review of Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley

Crosley's memoir traces a treasured friendship and the gutting loss of that dear friend. She's vulnerable enough to allow the reader in...

May 30

Review of Love, Lists and Fancy Ships by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Sarah Grunder Ruiz serves up an irresistible rom-com with great banter and with interesting and difficult, complex issues of loss, grief,...

May 28

Review of The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak's The Island of Missing Trees explores past Turkish-Greek conflicts in a small island community while illustrating the...

Mar 7

Review of After Annie by Anna Quindlen

Young mom Annie's abrupt death leaves her four children, husband, and best friend reeling. Each of them must find a way back to...

Sep 26, 2023

Review of Blue Hour by Tiffany Clarke Harrison

The slim novel Blue Hour explores ambivalence about motherhood, unflinching details of the experience of miscarriage, relationship...

Sep 21, 2023

Review of Chenneville: A Novel of Murder, Loss, and Vengeance by Paulette Jiles

Jiles's newest stark, beautiful, heartbreaking historical fiction tracks former Union soldier John Chenneville as he travels the country...

Aug 15, 2023

Review of A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

Joella's lovely exploration of three characters' loss and grief allows for deep human connection, the forging of messy paths forward, and...

May 25, 2023

Review of The Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander

ICYMI: Poet Elizabeth Alexander writes a gorgeous account of her love affair with her husband and the trauma of his sudden death in a...

Nov 30, 2022

Review of An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken

ICYMI: Elizabeth McCracken shares her heartbreaking, gorgeous, terrible story of loss and love surrounding the loss of her baby at nine...

Nov 29, 2022

Review of The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken

McCracken straddles the line between novel and memoir in a work whose heart is a love letter to her extraordinary mother. The author...

Sep 28, 2022

Review of Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu

Hsu's memoir remembers his friend Ken, who was tragically killed during college. He reflects on friendship and on their connection,...

Aug 23, 2022

Review of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Garmus's debut is witty and smart, heartbreaking, infuriating, and lovely. Lessons in Chemistry explores deep issues, conflict, and dark...

Mar 3, 2022

Review of How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Nagamatsu's science fiction centers around a resurgence of an ancient Arctic plague. These interconnected stories are odd, fascinating,...

Oct 19, 2021

Review of Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Main protagonist Gifty's journey was full of challenges and not too easy or complete, and her voice had me hooked throughout Yaa Gyasi's...

Sep 20, 2021

Review of The Guncle by Steven Rowley

The Guncle is full of heart and humor, quirky family love, and fun references to musicals and movies--yet Rowley also offers poignancy,...

Jun 4, 2021

Review of A Song for the Road by Kathleen Basi

Basi manages an incredible feat: the book involves messy feelings and grief, yet it isn't maudlin or sappy despite the tragedy and...

May 31, 2021

Three Books I'm Reading Now, 5/31/21 Edition

The Books I'm Reading Now Two of these books are largely about redemption, two focus on the twisted blessing-and-curse of technology, and...

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