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In Curtis Sittenfeld's wonderful second short-story collection, we meet imperfect characters, often fortysomething In Curtis Sittenfeld's first short-story collection, You Think It, I'll Say It , she offered ten stories , artistry--and "Lost but Not Forgotten" is a story featuring Lee Fiora, a character from Sittenfeld's If you enjoy short story collections, you might like to check out Six Short Story Collections to Wow You  and Six More Short Story Collections I Loved .

Novik never seems to make a misstep, and the thirteen stories here revisit favorite fictional worlds, Naomi Novik's newest work, Buried Deep ,  is a collection of thirteen stories that span the worlds of I enjoyed all of the stories but particularly loved three. , below) and Pride and Prejudice , and it made me grin with glee the whole time I read it. I'm already obsessed with this story and can't wait to read the full-length version.

Space Stories I've Loved I'm captivated by stories about space--the unknown, the possibilities, the unimaginable Have you loved any space-set stories that should go on my next Greedy Reading List of stories set in Chambers's story is science fiction that's full of heart, heartbreak, and hope. Much of the story is about acceptance and openness and finding ways to get along. The Sparrow took a little time to get going for me, but then I was blown away.

This story ticked so many of my boxes--a strong, young, underestimated female; an important quest; forbidden moments of affection for her enemy, who is foolish but vulnerable, added depth to the heart of the story I love Liang's characters and their voices, and I was intrigued that A Song to Drown Rivers was a reworking too-convenient happy ending, and as expected, Liang provides a complex set of conflicts to consider at the story's I fell in love with Ann Liang's fake-dating young adult novel This Time It's Real , read it in one rainy

Many of us, I think, puzzle out our identities only over time, figuring out who we are and what we need aims to answer questions that have been frequently posed to her, along the way sharing more of the story meaningful ways to be and to keep hope and be a light in the world--there are emotionally revealing stories I loved reading this and spending time with Michelle Obama.

Ballard, an 18th-century midwife who defied tradition and convention--and, in Lawhon's historical fiction story The mystery of what happened to the man is a subplot that winds through the story. I loved the details of life in the time period, as well as the unassuming women who show their true strength I love a story about a woman in the medical profession during an era when this was not the norm, and In Lawhon's story, Martha is also a strong-willed feminist who is set on fighting for the rights of the

and cruelty and kindnesses of that time. love--this is a gorgeous story. This is a gentle, slow-paced story from the heart-wrenchingly gorgeous writer. The major and minor love stories are sweet and tragic on multiple levels. The character growth surprised me and felt in line with the tone and pacing of the story.

Among the Bros is a disturbing true story of increasing greed, shocking carelessness with human life But this doesn't feel like a fraternity story. have access to money, some live together, and in many cases they demonstrate a desire to have a good time Marshall ultimately links the drug ring to multiple tragic stories of addiction, several deaths, and But I didn't feel there were other illuminating angles to the story beyond the shock and awe of the account

I was intrigued by the premise of this story--two people tied together by a past tragedy who stumble (Side note: hearing "sweetheart" as his dirty-talk nickname for her felt jarring to me every time.) I found myself increasingly frustrated the longer I listened to this story, which I received courtesy Lists: Six More of my Favorite Romantic Fiction Reads from the Past Year Six More Great Light Fiction Stories Six Lighter Fiction Stories for Great Escapism Six Great Light Fiction Stories Perfect for Summer Reading

rom-com, lighter fiction read is that real, weighty issues can be raised within the satisfyingly sweet story In a rom-com or lighter fiction story, all of these issues can be explored within a safe space--amid What other lighter fiction authors or stories do you love? The premise of Dear Emmie Blue made me wonder if the story would feel too far-fetched. Unlikely bonds are forged and reforged within the story.

into a great white shark due to a mutation, and builds a beautifully written, poignant, fascinating story Shark Heart: A Love Story follows newlyweds Wren and Lewis as they adjust to the sudden prospect of a Could she spend regular time in the water near him, successfully reminding him of her identity and thereby I listened to Shark Heart: A Love Story as an audiobook. Shark Heart: A Love Story is Emily Habeck's debut novel.

The Robot Books I love a good artificial intelligence- or robot-focused story, and these six (plus, in reviews of Exit Strategy and Network Effect . 02 Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson This story There's a twist/double twist in Goddess in the Machine that I didn't see coming, and I found the whole story full review of this book, please see Machinehood . 04 Skyhunter by Marie Lu In Skyhunter , Lu offers a story Then I remembered that this was the first in a series and that the story would continue past the final

The past and present storms added thrills and chills to the dual-timeline coastal Alabama story. Alabama, seems to attract the strongest of hurricanes, and the only building that's withstood every storm The small-town setting was great, and the pacing of The Storm moved along nicely. (as becomes apparent in relatively early foreshadowing) not every character survives the modern-day storm I received a prepublication version of The Storm  courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Female Spies. 01 The Skylark's Secret by Fiona Valpy The Skylark's Secret has a dual timeline; the story Different types of women's courage are shown in the World War II-era story as well as in the more modern is so fully inspired by her grandmother's story that she didn't even change the main characters' names I was taken by how remarkable the story was of the women's lives during this time of turmoil. I was riveted by Those Who Save Us (and I love the multiple potential implications of the book's title

Sophie Elmhirst's A Marriage at Sea is the true story of a couple whose sailing trip to New Zealand Sophie Elmhirst revisits a decades-old true story that she crafts like fiction, skillfully using dry The story's pacing doesn't flag, although the tale sets a slower tempo as Maurice and Maralyn settle

And if you're having trouble finding time to dig into a longer work with the holidays coming, or just Do you have any favorite short story collections I should read? You might also like the books on my first Greedy Reading List of short stories: Six Short Story Collections beautifully about moments large and small, from the weightiness of saying goodbye to loved ones for the last time of course, that of all the feelings of my youth that would pass, it was this one, of an abundance of time

witchy books, I hope you'll also check out the books on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Wonderfully Witchy Stories to Charm You and Six More Wonderfully Witchy Stories to Charm You. What are your favorite witchy stories? The story features instances of rape, abandonment, witch hunting, and attempted suicide. The story is wonderfully narrated by Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow.

I felt like the dramatic situations or dialogue distracted me from what felt like the heart of the story Or maybe it's time to read this modern witchy classic again. I delighted in reading the Wicked Witch of the West story turned on its head as Maguire traced the origins strong-willed, green-skinned young girl; explored the social pressures of Munchkinland; offered a complex back story what she might be capable of, banishes her to a deserted island, Circe perfects her witchy powers, tames

spot for me now, and these books stand the test of time. them feel unequivocally safe and understood for the first time. Where I come from, we keep these stories to ourselves. books that play with timelines and realities, check out the other books on the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Stories to Explore.

this last week regarding mysteries, but really, doesn't the cold winter also feel like the perfect time Chambers's story is science fiction that's full of heart, heartbreak, and hope. Much of the story is about acceptance and openness and finding ways to get along. You can find my review of Blake Crouch's Recursion (mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Stories to Explore) here and my review of Dark Matter here.

In The River We Remember, it's 1958 in a small town in Minnesota, and the blustering, bossy narcissist Jimmy Quinn, the biggest landowner around, has been found floating in the Alabaster River, killed by Yet the tone of the book is not one of intrigue and suspense; this is a patiently paced story of a time post-war, small-town Minnesota, including the dark, dark secrets serving as the driving forces of the story I listened to The River We Remember as an audiobook.

in a family of difficult men, living on a rural Colorado peach farm--its existence in that place and time Read brings Go As a River to life through the sights, sounds, and wildlife in the high Colorado forest ; the grip of a farming lifestyle along the churning Gunnison River; and the rhythm of life dictated The planned-flooding aspect of the novel is based on the true story of the destruction of the town of

Fortune delivers another entertaining summer read in this story of best friends, being jilted at the Carley Fortune is great at crafting a romance story with characters I like to root for and steamy, poignant

We could invent a time machine, my Walloon, and go back and never choose each other. But I have an easier solution: Just take the ordinary time machine. And try to grow old. after reading it, I'm not certain this one can stand on its own, because it felt that it built on the story disappointed that the long-distance, repeatedly-thwarted reunions between the lovers didn't allow for the story The story takes on somewhat of an evaluation of "the state of the United States" as Greer uses Less's

In James Riley's middle-grade fantasy book Story Thieves, young introvert Bethany and impulsive Owen Responsible as she is, she makes sure to keep to the background so as not to change a story or appear The cover looked more juvenile than the story felt, so for me, it set a tone that conflicted somewhat Story Thieves is the first in a five-book series by James Riley. Riley is also the author of the Half Upon a Time and Revenge of Magic series.

While taking the reader through her children's health crises, Philpott considers the power of worry, of love, and of trying to let go and simply live. When you’re an adult who thinks your own churning mind is what keeps everything safe, it’s called anxious. In her newest memoir Bomb Shelter, Mary Laura Philpott explores her worries about and views of the world, and she ponders existential questions about life and death. Philpott considers her paralyzing fear of her children's health challenges and takes the reader through the emergence of her son's epilepsy and her daughter's asthma; she considers aspects of her parents' lives previously unknown to her; and she pieces together facts about her family that she had never recognized. As Philpott wonders with dread what else could go awry, she faces that she has subconsciously believed that the power of her active caring and worrying could possibly prevent future tragedies. As far as I can tell, the uncertain part is: every second we’re alive, until the last. Philpott faces the unwelcome yet freeing reality that so much is out of our control, and she considers whether appreciating the fragility of moments--and the beauty of this fragility--may be the key to staying sane as we enter the unknown events of the future. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Mary Laura Philpott is also the author of the memoir I Miss You When I Blink. I listened to Bomb Shelter as an audiobook.

Claire Keegan is one of my favorite writers; in these three stories, she builds layered situations--and In the brilliant, Irish-born Claire Keegan's newest slim story collection, she explores gender dynamics Three stories written during various eras in Keegan's career are revised and expanded here: "Antarctica Each of Keegan's three stories builds a layered situation and then turns it on its head; a wisp of a Story Collections to Wow You and Six More Short Story Collections I Loved.

May explains her own yearning to power down and turn inward during difficult times, and she connects nonfiction ode to settling in, stepping back, and slowing down, she explores her own experiences with times lifestyles and locations were fascinating, and I felt May yearning to connect with others and their stories

six favorite reads of the past month: two memoirs, two historical fiction titles, a science fiction story In her memoir In Love, author Amy Bloom shares the story of an impossible situation: how she faced the But this is a solid historical fiction story that I loved. You can find my review of Blake Crouch's Recursion (mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Stories to Explore) here and my review of Dark Matter here.

Two of these books also made it onto my Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes Greedy Reading List--along with Mastai provides a fascinating story with time travel, alternate realities, love, loss, humor, bravery travel itself and how time travelers affect realities--but I loved suspending my disbelief to be part Claire North has crafted a fascinating, twisty, thoughtful time-travel story. This story really hooked me.

I loved this story about relationships, complications, famous/everyday person romance, and a love of Billy Perkins is a music teacher living above a record store in Baltimore called Charm City Rocks with sounds intriguing, you might also be interested in the books on my Greedy Reading List, Six Rockin' Stories

haven't already, I hope you'll check out the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Wonderfully Witchy Stories What are your favorite witchy stories? The story had a few too many "doom is coming, get ready" types of heads-ups for my liking--especially because this is, after all, a Salem-set witch-trial story, and most readers will tend to anticipate The story feels primarily about relationships, with a witchcraft background and setting.

For my full review, please see The Ex Talk. 03 The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren The story is The story is steamy and romantic at times without being dramatic. In Steven Rowley's fun, funny, and heartwarming light fiction story The Guncle, aging former sitcom star This was a will they/won't they story I loved. But Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story

I loved listening to Bono's story in his voice. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book?

Witchy Book Love Last year I published a Greedy Reading List of Six Wonderfully Witchy Stories to Charm What are your favorite witchy stories? The story had a few too many "doom is coming, get ready" types of heads-ups for my liking--especially because this is, after all, a Salem-set witch-trial story, and most readers will tend to anticipate There was real depth to the story, the relationships, and the family in The Heretic's Daughter, with

Historical fiction set in the West also lends itself to stories of strong female characters in a time might also be interested in the titles on the Greedy Reading Lists Six More Great Historical Fiction Stories Vengeance Road is a rough and tumble story with enough suspense that I wasn't ever confident that the The details Turner provides of life at that time and in that place bring to life Sarah's stories of growing This was a slow build and a beautiful story, satisfying and often sweet, complete with young love.

memoir/part essay--is one of my favorite books of Ann Patchett's, and I didn't want her reflections and stories In This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, a book that's part memoir, part essay, Ann Patchett shares personal stories ranging from her childhood through young adulthood and her first, disastrous marriage “We are, on this earth, so incredibly small, in the history of time, in the crowd of the world, we are I adore Ann Patchett, her stories, her point of view, and her writing. I love love loved this book.

knowledge (about dragons, a cure for Xaden's condition, and Violet's own fate), and the increased page time This installment of the series offered less page time to the dramaaaatic elements, but there's no denying I'm in this story for the teamwork, vengeance, friendship, quests, danger, strategy, character conflict I listened to Onyx Storm  as an audiobook. More dragon stories You can click here for my review of Fourth Wing  and here for my Bossy take on Iron

I'll be taking a little break from posting in order to travel to visit with family and my BFF in cooler Whether you're into time travel, memoirs, historical fiction mysteries, riveting nonfiction, witchy tales

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, I was reminded that ages ago I loved her (very different) book The Storied The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is about second chances--and finding hope again. This was a fast read and a lovely story. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book?

If you like Mitchell's beautiful, offbeat, sometimes meandering and tough-to-pin-down stories, you'll This was a really captivating story that kept me intrigued throughout. After a slow start, the story pace picked up, and I was really curious to follow these characters to the ends of their interconnected stories. And now every time you cross it again, it just gets grayer and grayer until one day you look around and

short stories, whether because they want to dig in more deeply over the course of a longer story and But sometimes nothing does the reading trick like shorter works--especially when time is tight or when My own to-read list of short stories includes Maggie Shipstead's upcoming short story collection You Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy “His heart felt dangerously full, for the first time Either way, it’s the same story.”

ICYMI: This funny, wry, silly, sweet, heartbreaking story feels light on the surface but has deep meaning Andrew Sean Greer offers a story of enduring love, loss, chance encounters, friendship, adventure, and It was definitely the right book at the right time for me when I read it. I loved it.

The various Sarahs of Cohen's stories take on frequently unorthodox searches for self and meaning--while Each of the Sarahs in Cohen's stories copes with societal pressures, identity crises, and misogyny--in and often seemingly shallow--yet weighty truths underlie the sometimes bizarre circumstances of each story The stories are sometimes dark and darkly funny, and the situations range from that of a Sarah who is Cohen's collection of stories felt rooted where universal experience intersects with the uniqueness of

Two of these books also made it onto my Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes Greedy Reading List--along with Mastai provides a fascinating story with time travel, alternate realities, love, loss, humor, bravery travel itself and how time travelers affect realities--but I loved suspending my disbelief to be part Claire North has crafted a fascinating, twisty, thoughtful time-travel story. This story really hooked me.

What other lighter fiction authors or stories do you love? hit any false notes for me and kept me satisfyingly wrapped up in the elite gymnastics world of the story The premise of Dear Emmie Blue made me wonder if the story would feel too far-fetched.

A medieval setting, time travel, a quest, and intriguing complications--did Paula Lafferty write this Then a strange man comes to town, telling Vera an unbelievable story of her true origins and her destiny The existence of the kingdom and magic itself are reliant upon Vera's time-travel back to Arthur's world I happily fell into this story hook, line, and sinker. Lafferty handily skirts the logistical difficulties of time travel and modern-medieval (Middle English

But when a wildfire rages near where they're canoeing the Maskwa River in northern Canada, everything The details of running the Canadian river, traveling and camping, and Jack and Wynn's friendship itself But the aftermath was urgent, real, and spurred the story along in important ways. Heller is also the author of The Dog Stars, a dystopian story I gave five stars, and The Painter, which I thought about it long after I finished it and I still think about it from time to time.

The mystery bookends feel largely unimportant to the story, the cast of characters sometimes feels endless , and the story meanders, but there's heart in the connection between characters when crises inspire The mystery that bookends the story is not essential to the novel. By the time the story ended, I had forgotten about the mystery's brief introduction at the beginning The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is built upon the swirls of interconnected, meandering stories; the

this hefty expansion of the 1619 Project, which was spearheaded by Nikole Hannah-Jones at The New York Times