I loved the Ottoman Empire setting, the strong female main protagonist, and the complications and sometimes Main protagonist Ismae escapes an arranged marriage, arrives at a convent, and is ultimately trained She finds that she may be the only hope to save her war-torn country. King , surprising revelations, shifting alliances, opaque political machinations, and enmity between main which offers wonderfully flawed characters, plot twists and revelations, great banter, and endings you may

Parts of the story are science-heavy, as the scientist-main protagonists try to understand a universe

The story features main protagonist Natalie, a fundamentalist Christian who subscribes to male-dominated

Elizabeth Strout examines the range of characters from her many books and their intersecting stories, In small town Crosby, Maine, acclaimed writer Lucy Barton and attorney Bob Burgess walk and talk about Bob is defending a man accused of a terrible crime: killing his mother, a mean, reviled lunch lady long But the young man, a self-taught artist, is counting on Bob and an unorthodox approach to figuring out

Not everyone is who they seem, and someone the group trust's may have let greed and deception compromise The main protagonists' tendencies and personalities have room to shine in book two of the Thursday Murder I listened to The Man Who Died Twice  as a library audiobook.

opera August Kitko and the Mechas from Space, about deadly AI robots coming to destroy space--until our main pianist, is tasked with saving humanity; and I'm listening to This Other Eden, historical fiction set in Maine group of underdogs saving the day. 03 This Other Eden by Paul Harding Back in 1792, a formerly enslaved man Benjamin Honey and his Irish wife found a safe haven on an island off the coast of Maine. scratch and claw to subsist--yet they remain on their island, safe from the judgment and danger of the mainland

James doesn't lay out neat endings tied up with bows, but there is promise and hope for each main protagonist

Jimenez knows how to layer difficult situations and messy complications into her rom-coms, and her main Now Mike is binge drinking and hiding it from Larissa, and Chris's many attempts to help Mike patch things

While the roadblock issue of not swimming is easily resolved (in convenient fashion, so that the two main I received a prepublication version of this title (which was published May 20) courtesy of NetGalley

through various avenues of hell, and the worldbuilding felt slim and glossed over during some of the many Cain is savvy, street-smart, and living in the capital. Each of the three main protagonists begin to understand their own power--and when their paths intersect ; a strange world full of vengeful creatures; and satisfyingly proud, brave moments for each of our main Naomi Novik is the author of richly wrought fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted

Dragon Heart Legacy series; and I'm reading Flying Solo, Linda Holmes's light fiction caper set in Maine without being spotted by the Russians who have hacked the city's cameras and who are out to kill the man tension with Keegan. 03 Flying Solo by Linda Holmes Because I'm back in my old stomping grounds of Maine , it seems like the perfect time to read Flying Solo, a Maine-set title that's been on my to-read list In Flying Solo, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown, stinging from her recently canceled wedding

Listen for the Lie offers a fascinating story structure, dark humor, and deeply flawed characters as main liberate France during the war, surprising facts begin to surface about the sisters' past--and they may fiction rom-com is a funny, poignant, and sometimes frustrating deep dive into the emotionally stunted main Baby steps are hard-won progress for the often-clueless main protagonist. Main protagonist Frankie signs up to leave her idyllic, privileged Southern California life--and the

Flawed main characters Jack and Elizabeth try to find their way back to an emotional connection in this

elements from this second book in the series, but I liked the "twist" of the interconnectedness of the two main learning the mixed, disturbing history and heritage of her bloodline while falling in love with Andreas, a man You may predict the interconnectedness between Odessa and Caspia, but their link is stated outright late

Lora Beth Johnson hooked me immediately with the premise of Goddess in the Machine and with main protagonist she's ready to be reunited with the team, which includes her mother and the rest of her family, plus many I loved the main characters' fashion, banter, and stubbornness. imminent demise of the human race that the robots seem perched to enact serve as a catalyst for the human main May finds herself willing to surgically alter her facial features for a sum that might keep her family

Veronica Speedwell series of historical fiction mysteries, Veronica remains a strong and unorthodox main But evidence indicates to Veronica that Alice may have been murdered.

Harrow The Everlasting  involves jaunts through multiple versions of the same story, as our fantastic main You probably haven’t met one before, coming as you do from this backward place, but it’s like a man only Kingfisher writes my favorite kind of fantasy novel: a wonderfully oddball main protagonist, a strange imagines richly imagined fantasy worlds, and within them she slots fantastically imperfect and wondrous main installment in the series sets up an overlooked princess who becomes a heroine; deadly monsters who may

We meet two main protagonists: independent Birdie, who travels from her rural hometown to Oxford to beg

tableau, but the reasoning for this forbidden love didn't hold up for me, and I was frustrated by a main

Six Great Bossy Mystery Reads I didn't read as many mysteries last year as I typically do, but here are She's Barbara Van Lear, the daughter of the owners of the camp where many local residents work. Listen for the Lie  offers a fascinating story structure, dark humor, and deeply flawed characters as main full review of The Return of Ellie Black . 06 Sleeping Giants by Rene Denfeld I was taken with the main love an Alaska storyline) and the polar bear-focused parts of the story, it felt far afield from the main

she's ready to be reunited with the team, which includes her mother and the rest of her family, plus many Divya has crafted strong female main protagonists who navigate the sometimes dark, always complicated But Divya is too busy crafting strong female main protagonists (complete with working mother guilt, which The management of many large-scale issues and their side effects are shown in shades of gray rather than But then Romy gets word that another ship has launched from earth, with a young man called J as the pilot

Bardugo Bardugo's rich world-building sets the scene in Spain during the Inquisition, as a scullery maid Wang doesn't shy away from a dramatic reckoning for the story's main characters in the end. One may upend everything across four worlds--and one may possibly be able to save them all. Jensen The first in Jensen's fantasy series ticked many of my boxes--strong female main character, a This is my kind of "romantasy": adventure, fate, a strong main female character, a Chosen One setup--

the past feel light years away, because Rocky's menopausal rage threatens to undo any joy she might gain This summer they head to Maine to camp, fish, and hike. Maine, like other states across the country, has been swept by a secession movement, but Jess and Storey When she finds that she's pregnant, she begins a winding path to figuring out her life that mainly entails nontraditional, loving, zany family flips traditional views of unplanned, young pregnancy through the view of a main

In Tochi Onyebuchi's fantasy mystery, main protagonist Boubacar is a war veteran and a private investigator He must delve into his own past connections and dredge up painful, complex past dynamics and loyalties

mystery on a magical ship full of uncertain alliances, deadly vendettas, and a sassy and flamboyant main relationship and has no interest in one--she doesn't have time for frivolity when she's chasing so many novel explores early Edinburgh surgical schools, questionable methods of obtaining study subjects, a main Cain is savvy, street-smart, and living in the capital. Each of the three main protagonists begin to understand their own power--and when their paths intersect

There's a health crisis and solution that involves the two main characters in key ways and which complicates Then Florence's beloved father dies, and she returns to her hometown for the first time in many years please see The Dead Romantics. 06 Happy Place by Emily Henry Six longtime friends gather for one last Maine I was impatient with the prolonged lack of communication but loved the main characters' interactions For years they've taken annual trips to their friend Sabrina's cottage in Maine with the rest of their

novel explores early Edinburgh surgical schools, questionable methods of obtaining study subjects, a main

ICYMI: This series by Naomi Novik introduces vain, strong-willed, talking dragons, their complex, wonderfully Temeraire is young, greedy, vain, and outrageously loyal to Will, and Will is attempting to civilize Naomi Novik is also the author of richly wrought fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted

Raybourn is masterful at providing a captivating main character with depth and flaws; a tantalizing attraction /sexual tension between her two main characters, and dialogue that makes me laugh out loud--all set against

Grant's thriller is set in the wilds of Idaho, with a wilderness expert of a main character who has fought to trust others and be vulnerable--and who may find herself deeply betrayed again. estranged old friend Janessa goes missing under suspicious circumstances, Emlyn must team up with the man

The main male protagonist was off-putting to me in his arrogance at first, but Carley Fortune is the

Vengeance Road is a rough and tumble story with enough suspense that I wasn't ever confident that the main fiction books that look promising. 03 West by Carys Davies ​This isn't strictly a Western, but the main optimistic travel route on a map (and, disturbingly, struggles multiple times with being preyed upon by a man

in Elizabethan London; and I'm reading One Golden Summer , Carley Fortune's newest romance, in which main female sex holds her back from being able to find the knowledge she seeks, and she dresses as a boy to gain

01 Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi In Tochi Onyebuchi's newest fantasy mystery novel, main protagonist

Secrets We Hide (North Falls #2) by Karin Slaughter I love a story driven by a female investigator main

key references to them we find that the secretive, haunted author has attempted to work through the pain It's necessary for the reader to sustain a suspension of disbelief so that this hole in our main protagonist's

fiction read is that real, weighty issues can be raised within the satisfyingly sweet story: characters may cope with abuse or alcohol abuse; they may struggle to feel self-respect, a healthy body image, or to more; it's sweet and funny, it's about writing and books, there are wonderfully faulted love-crossed main After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze producer reaches out to her with an unexpected question: Would Bea consider starring in a season of Main

imagines richly imagined fantasy worlds, and within them slots fantastically imperfect and wondrous main Kingfisher is also the author of many other novels.

in which a man lives out multiple overlapping lives, deceiving and lying all the while. Jewell offers a peek at the psychologically twisted motivations of the story's main protagonist, his slow unraveling of his terrible lies, all of which pick up speed as various women race to unmask the man understandably, looking for companionship, adoration, and love fell into the web of this abomination of a man-child

Marske doesn't skimp on presenting multiple magical elements, which I loved--and she includes many detailed , saucy, passionate encounters between our main characters. (This reminded me of the measures taken by the main protagonist in another book I recently read, A Study

Many reasons have been given for the decline of the climate-change movement in the twenty-first century Within this timeline, Tom Metcalfe, one of our main protagonists, is an academic fascinated by the past and they were idiots who were throwing it all away, even as their high culture lamented or roared in pain Our main protagonists force or are faced with resolutions, which are not always peaceful or wholly satisfying

of Utopia Avenue, click here. 02 The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez On the surface, the main The other is a shockingly talented artist who abandoned the creation of new work after an incredibly painful In Leila Sales's young adult book This Song Could Save Your Life, main protagonist Elise doesn't fit

Jac Matthis is a romance novelist whose first book tanked (the main protagonist chose her career over a man, enraging readers who'd been counting on a different happy ever after), leaving little audience But it looks like she may have to rely on her annoying next-door neighbor Wes to try to gain the attention After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze producer reaches out to her with an unexpected question: Would Bea consider starring in a season of Main

Many years ago, everybody here would wake early because there was much to do and only so many hours in Now they wake early because there is much to do and only so many days left. There's a poignancy here because the main protagonists have lived long enough to lose loved ones, and And you can find Bossy reviews of many other mysteries here .

I loved the main characters' fashion, banter, and stubbornness. Murderbot (check out my rave review in Six Great Stories about Robots, Humans and Alien Life, and AI) may and the imminent demise of the human race that they seem perched to enact serve as a catalyst for the main

It makes me so happy to survey the many books I've loved reading, thinking about, writing about, and Harrow The Everlasting  involves jaunts through multiple versions of the same story, as our fantastic main Brendan is not the main protagonist, despite the novel's title, yet he is central to the story in that details of a life of moneyed ease and an abandonment on an unforgiving, uninhabited island after our main Within this timeline, Tom Metcalfe, one of our main protagonists, is an academic fascinated by the past

The main protagonist's focus in her work is Commander Graham Gore (a character based upon a real figure

We can see what Jessamyn is unaware of in this campy story: her acting may be sound, but her singing Readers will likely have a clear sense that our main character is prepared to burn it all down on her

Morris offers some revenge-fantasy satisfaction, but there are some grave casualties in the world of our main Like her main protagonist, Wanda M. Morris is an attorney.

The main protagonist is cutthroat, darkly funny, and fascinating in her rejection of expectations.