Less series, I was pleasantly surprised by the heart and vulnerability beneath the absurdities and funny turns, and excruciatingly slow growth in emotional maturity lead to appealing vulnerability, lots of funny

Sittenfeld's funny and sweet take on an unlikely romance sparked by a longtime SNL-type weekly skit show being immersed in the rhythm of show weeks and of skit pitches and power dynamics; and I loved the funny Romantic Comedy offers lots of funny, funny dialogue that delighted me.

book of essays and memories touches on his start as a boy doing standup in bars, his drug habits, and funny I recently mentioned my memoir love (again) and how I've been drawn to memoirs by funny people lately

apart, but in the decades to come, when one of them feels adrift and lost, they come together in sassy, funny I loved the way Rowley dove into dark humor; funny banter; not always practical but deeply held connections This is deep but funny with an edge, and the book is never cloyingly sentimental although it's wonderfully

This was funny, sweet, steamy, and poignant--a fantastic summer light-fiction read that I loved. The premise sounded like a slam dunk for me, and the reality of the book was a funny, poignant, banter-filled

It's a little dark, consistently fascinating, sometimes funny, and very satisfying. Bardugo doesn't take the easy way out with the plot, and the dialogue here is funny and smart. It's dark and darkly funny, with twists, turns, and satisfying relationship growth. 04 The Folk of the

Second: Starter Villain is playful, darkly funny, big-hearted, and wonderfully weird. Story by Emily Henry Funny Story  is the perfect rom-com read. Henry offers funny banter that made me laugh, some steamy moments, and a sweet love story. I listened to Funny Story  as an audiobook (narrated by the fantastic Julia Whelan). For my full review of this book, please see Funny Story .

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading What You Can See From Here, Mariana Leky's novel about loss, grief, and change when a small village is faced with an omen of death; I started Elizabeth Strout's just-published novel Oh William! about Lucy Barton, her first husband, and their inexplicable, unbroken bond; and I'm listening to The Best of Me, David Sedaris's most recent collection of oddball memories and stories that mix humor and absurdity with a hint of poignancy. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 What You Can See from Here by Mariana Leky Selma has dreamed of an omen, an okapi. Someone in her small village is about to die. As her superstitious neighbors imagine that they may be destined to end their earthly stay, they struggle with unresolved issues, unspoken desires, secrets, and lies. Those around Selma work to quickly come to terms with their finite existence, and young and old members of the community consider their lives with new eyes. Yet somehow the village's loss, when it does occur, takes everyone by surprise, and Selma's granddaughter, Luisa, is forever changed by the events that follow. Leky writes about love, loss, grief, and understanding in What You Can See from Here. 02 Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout Elizabeth Strout is one of my favorite authors, and this recently published book is her newest in the interconnected Lucy Barton web she's woven. In Oh William! Lucy examines her relationship with her first husband and considers how he has always been somewhat of a mystery to her. Yet the two have remained connected through the years, and the closed-off William has always leaned on Lucy for support, despite the fact that he has been married two other times since Lucy, including to his current wife--and Lucy is remarried as well. Now William has uncovered a family secret that shakes him, and he asks Lucy to travel with him to investigate the truth. Strout gorgeously mines small moments that make up a life, and Oh William! is leaning toward being an exploration of love, loss, friendship, forgiveness, and unshakable bonds. Check out my reviews of Strout's My Name Is Lucy Barton, Anything Is Possible, and Olive, Again. 03 The Best of Me by David Sedaris I'm listening to this collection by David Sedaris. I prefer to take in my Sedaris books by listening to the author's snarky, silly, spot-on, sometimes gross, and often farcical takes on the world. Whether Sedaris is reliving specific, frequently oddball memories and mining them for poignancy and also laughs, or presenting his own distorted versions of morality plays, he does so with dark humor but also, frequently, with heart. The section of limericks centered around dogs and their rude behavior isn't my favorite so far, but I often suspect that Sedaris is toning down his reflections for the comfort of his audience, and this felt like an absurd vignette he simply couldn't resist.

Robinson's 1971 classic for young readers is a wonderful read-aloud during the Christmas season. "Hey! Unto you a child is born!" We read aloud Barbara Robinson's 1971 holiday classic every Christmas season around here, and I love it every single time. There are some old-fashioned elements, but for me, the big heart of this story outweighs the outdated aspects. The trouble-making Herdmans (they're known for shoplifting, brutalizing and intimidating classmates and teachers, smoking cigars, and drinking jug wine, among other things) appear on the scene of the Sunday School Christmas pageant because it's rumored that refreshments are served there. Their participation in the pageant causes an uproar in the staid, traditional production and in the community that expects the same version year after year. But the Herdmans' lack of context for the Christmas story means they ask probing questions. Where is the King Herod character, and does he (fingers crossed) die a grisly death at the end? Why does someone besides Mary get to name Jesus, and why wasn't his name something reasonable like Bill? And why would a baby want gifts of oil and gold--wouldn't a ham be better and more useful? The Herdmans' challenges to the story and the traditional pageant roles--as well as to the community's expectations--bring out heartwarming truths and unexpected reflections. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? We saw our local children's theatre production of this story a few years ago, and it was a true joy watching an actress play the role of tough, questioning Imogene Herdman as she plays gruff, protective new mother Mary. Gladys Herdman's shouted "Hey! Unto you a child is born!" is a favorite moment in the story.

I'm generally in for memoirs, and lately I've been drawn to memoirs by funny people. Meeting like-minded creative types interested in both funny writing and reflecting diversity led to opportunities I laughed out loud multiple times; Penn is funny without trying too hard, and his tone is accessible

This was a satisfying, often funny, romantic book that hit all the right notes for me. This was a satisfying, often funny, romantic book that hit all the right notes for me.

The title may be a little self-conscious, but the book itself is darkly funny, with wonderfully paced

ICYMI: This funny, wry, silly, sweet, heartbreaking story feels light on the surface but has deep meaning Less is absurd, very funny, and a little heartbreaking--light on the surface but with plenty of meaning

This collection of previously published Sedaris works is a gold mine of discomforting, edgy, offbeat observations--with more heart than I expected. I loved this audiobook. I listened to this collection by David Sedaris as an audiobook. I prefer to take in my Sedaris books by listening to the author's snarky, silly, spot-on, sometimes gross, and often farcical takes on the world. Whether Sedaris is reliving specific, offbeat memories and mining them for poignancy and also laughs, or presenting his own distorted versions of morality plays, he does so with dark humor but also, frequently, with heart. The section of limericks centered around dogs and their rude behavior wasn't my favorite, but I sometimes suspect that despite his edgy moments and curious observations, Sedaris may tone down his reflections for the comfort of his audience, and this felt like an absurd vignette he simply couldn't resist. I was drawn in by the mix of tones represented here, and by the introspection and vulnerability Sedaris intermingles with the off-kilter, singular, sometimes excruciating moments he draws readers into. I hadn't read (or listened to) a good number of these selections, and I was repeatedly surprised and delighted with Sedaris's depth...then often cringed at an eccentric, discomforting observation that promptly followed. I enjoyed the roller coaster and was taken with this collection. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Sedaris is also the author of Me Talk Pretty One Day, Calypso, Naked, Holidays on Ice, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, and many other books.

The story is heartwarming, funny, with strong friendships, plus it's steamy and romantic at times without The Soulmate Equation is often funny, and the best-friendship between Jess and Fizzy (Felicity) is one of the funniest aspects and was one of my favorite elements.

With funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, fantastically bizarre elements; imperfect and wonderful friendships

It's a little dark, consistently fascinating, sometimes funny, and very satisfying. Bardugo doesn't take the easy way out with the plot, and the dialogue here is funny and smart. It's dark and darkly funny, with twists, turns, and satisfying relationship growth. 04 The Folk of the

language and pacing is so lovely, the World War II settings so exquisitely laid out, and the dialogue so darkly funny, I loved this!

Lane's story is zany and wonderful, with lots of glimpses into behind-the-scenes celebrity details--and a layer of heart and poignant reflection that surprised me. "This book is not about Carrie Fisher." Author Byron Lane was Carrie Fisher's personal assistant in real life, and in this novel, Byron's main protagonist Charlie is assistant to a sci-fi-blockbuster-famous actress who played Priestess Talara. Kathi Kannon is a character with a big, wacky personality who also struggles with addiction. She's Hollywood royalty, and her former movie star mother lives in a home on the same compound. So I was definitely picturing Carrie Fisher as Kannon throughout this story. I heard the dialogue in her voice, I had a mental image of Debbie Reynolds as her mother, and Star Wars was in my mind as the enormously popular movie series that made the actress famous. This is a novel, but the spirit of the book felt authentic to what we know about Carrie Fisher's strong, wonderfully unique personality and some of her life challenges. Charlie is searching for meaning and direction--and he doesn't much mind the social cachet of being assistant to a high-profile celebrity. Kathi tends toward outrageous excess and could use a loyal companion who cares enough to set limits toward a goal of her self-preservation. We see practical Charlie learning to roll with and embrace Kannon's spicy banter and often outrageous wishes. The story is zany and wonderful, with lots of glimpses into glamorous (and often tedious) celebrity details. There are fun and frenetic scenes about meeting the varied demands of an enormous star, and Lane explores the characters' challenges of striving to maintain balance in an odd employer-assistant relationship that blurs the lines of the professional and personal. As Charlie becomes more deeply involved in the ups and downs of Kathi's life, he finds himself more and more reluctant to drop her name into conversation to wow a party crowd, or to use tidbits of her life to perk up his first-date conversations. He's growing loyal to her and fully entrenched in her life, and it's not clear whether he could ever move on without hurting himself or Kannon or both. I would have been happy with a fake behind-the-scenes look at celebrity and the star-assistant dynamic. What surprised me was how much heart and reflection Lane injected into the story to flesh out a deeper, poignant relationship. I very much cared about Kathi and Charlie's struggles together and as individuals, and I laughed a lot. I adored this. What did you think? I loved this fictionalized peek at life with a beloved star. Have you read anything like this? What other titles might fit the bill? I mentioned this book in my Greedy Reading List Three Books I'm Reading Now, 10/13/20 Edition.

Sally Gould's memoir is named after a darkly humorous term of affection for paramedics in Australia (

I loved spending time with the uproariously funny Thomas. I loved spending time with the uproariously funny Thomas as he recounts how he's navigated situations

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm listening to Sarah Rees Brennan's darkly playful dive into life as a villain For other books that take a sympathetic, darkly playful view of a villain, check out Hench and Starter

Faizal's supernatural fantasy Blood and Tea series; I'm reading Endling , Maria Reva's Ukraine-set darkly

In darkly playful Agatha Christie style, they're in a locked-room (well, -castle) mystery, and it seems

I love a woman PI, unorthodox investigative methods, and a darkly playful tone, but I ultimately wanted

Six Great Bossy Fantasy Reads I read some entertaining, imaginative, sometimes funny, fantastic fantasy review of The Shadow of the Gods . 02 A Power Unbound (Last Binding #3) by Freya Marske Marske's quirky, funny book, check out The Stolen Heir . 04 Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan Sarah Rees Brennan offers a funny This is so funny, sometimes dark, and it has lots of heart. For other books that take a sympathetic, darkly playful view of a villain, check out Hench and Starter

motivated by religious fanaticism, and both Patch and Saint's futures are shaped by their ties to the darkly

The tone of The Enchanted is sometimes gorgeously, darkly ethereal and other times so grim and alluding

characters' quirkiness, concerns, love for each other, and plenty of heart in a heartwarming, often funny Their quirkiness is most often funny, but their many adorable inside jokes sometimes left me feeling Newman's smart, funky voice comes through in Wreck .

motivated by religious fanaticism, and both Patch and Saint's futures are shaped by their ties to the darkly

wonder, a bonkers fever dream, a heartwarming tale, an intriguing mystery that ticked all of my boxes, a funny For my full review, please see Everything Is Tuberculosis . 02 Bunny (Bunny #1) by Mona Awad Bunny begins But then the Bunnies invite Samantha to their "Smut Salon" and into their hive mind of dottiness. James's debut novel is poignant, funny, heartbreaking, often surprising, and heartwarming. James crafts a tender, funny story with zing about a secretly trans high school teacher in a small town

This didn't make The Golden Enclaves the most darkly fun, deeply emotional, or captivatingly paced book

Cosimano's mystery has a wonderfully quirky setup and campy tone, and Finlay's missteps add to the darkly cute bartender she runs into during her various schemes, who do not)--all of this makes the book feel darkly

Ellie Black . 03 Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan Sarah Rees Brennan offers a funny This is so funny, sometimes dark, and it has lots of heart. For other books that take a sympathetic, darkly playful view of a villain, check out Hench and Starter

The tone is very different, but the superhero element of this book reminded me of Hench, a darkly charming

Western; a captivating multigenerational family story told through two timelines; the final book in a darkly There are funny, tangled, heartwarming exchanges. Cosimano's mystery has a wonderfully quirky setup and campy tone, and Finlay's missteps add to the darkly All of this makes the book feel darkly playful. And that ending!

Lynn Painter delivers funny, charming banter and an opposites-attract tension in this heartwarming rom-com Painter delivers charming and funny banter, emotional growth, deep friendship, plausible missteps that

The emotions and drives of the story feel real, but the tone is darkly playful. The emotions and drives of the story feel real, but the tone is darkly playful.

01 The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai Desai's first novel in decades is a 688-page tale Sunny is a journalist in New York City, eager to escape his overbearing family home in India. I listened to the 688-page The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny  as a 25.5-hour audiobook. You can read my full review by clicking this link . 02 Bunny (Bunny #1) by Mona Awad Bunny begins with But then the Bunnies invite Samantha to their "Smut Salon" and into their hive mind of dottiness.

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton The emotions and drives of the story feel real, but the tone is darkly

Fisher is candid, funny, charmingly offbeat, and she's mastered the art of honest self-examination. His voice in this memoir is honest, funny, and poignant, and he and his many stories are just irresistible Short comes across as charming, nutty, grounded, and really endearing in this fun, funny memoir. 06 It's It's Okay to Laugh is a darkly humorous account of the author's numerous and condensed life-altering that break up her story felt jarring to me, but her account was honest, raw, sad, and sometimes very funny

James's debut novel is poignant, funny, heartbreaking, often surprising, and heartwarming. James crafts a tender, funny story with zing about a secretly trans high school teacher in a small town Woodworking offers funny moments and touching bonds. St.

She's got a sunny disposition, wears bright, cheery colors, and is hoping for her first big writing break Emily Henry is also the author of Funny Story (one of my Favorite Reads of the Year ), Happy Place

I was hooked by Liang's fake-dating, famous-everyday relationship duo setup, fantastically funny dialogue In This Time It's Real, Ann Liang's funny dialogue, characters' various interpersonal challenges and

In Quantum Criminals, Alex Pappademas explores the "darkly comic" inspirations and imaginations of Steely

This was dark, sometimes wryly funny, haunting, and intriguing, and the resolutions to the significant The story is sometimes funny, and it's consistently suspenseful and character-driven. In an extreme version of keeping a stiff upper lip, they sometimes carry on wryly funny conversations

More Funny and Sweet Light Fiction Adorable rom-coms can be perfect summertime reading. This was funny, sweet, steamy, and poignant--a fantastic summer light-fiction read that I loved. The premise sounded like a slam dunk for me, and the reality of the book was a funny, poignant, banter-filled It's perfectly charming, funny, quirky, and sweet, yet it deals with grief and fear, hope and forgiveness Better Than the Movies is funny funny funny and so lovely and sweet, I adored the whole story, the characters

Sally Gould's memoir is named after a darkly humorous term of affection for paramedics in Australia (

She's got a sunny disposition, wears bright, cheery colors, and is hoping for her big writing break. Emily Henry is also the author of Funny Story , Happy Place , and Book Lovers . 02 The Life We Bury

Croucher's Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is irresistible, the pacing is great, and the banter is excellent--funny