In case you missed it: Aimee Molloy's page-turner is a quick read with a major--if manipulative-feeling

Newlyweds Sam and Annie haven't known each other long. They realize their whole lives could be shattered as the lies they've been telling each other come to light. Sam and Annie didn't know each other long before becoming engaged and getting married. Now they're newlyweds starting a life together in upstate New York. Sam is starting up a private practice in his sleepy hometown as a therapist, while Annie tries to find her own path and stay busy. Sam's father left his mother for a younger woman years ago, which deeply fractured their father-son relationship. Sam says he abhors the man, but locals are constantly reminding Annie that Sam was a heartbreaker in his younger years. They frequently express their shock that he's settled down, intimating that he was expected to follow in his father's footsteps as a lifelong playboy--and that they believe he still may. Meanwhile, Sam's mother is suffering from dementia. Sam and Annie alternate visiting days with her. Except...Annie finds out that Sam's been lying. He's said he was with his mother, but he hasn't been showing up. Now he's disappeared altogether and isn't picking up his calls. So where has he been, what is he up to, and what other lies have been shaping their lives? Will they ever be able to trust each other again? And where is Sam? For the first third of the book, I strongly considered not finishing Goodnight Beautiful. The characters seemed shallow and unsympathetic; they were obsessed with money and seemed greedy; they were largely concerned with drinking and holding a regular happy hour for two; they often seemed silly, naive, and vapid; and they were lying to each other about their pasts. Several characters seemed unappealing and potentially too-obvious drivers of complications (the young, flirtatious French patient in the therapist's office who serves as a temptation; the bored, emotionally immature housewife desperate to keep her new husband happy; and the insecure middle-aged recently married man with a wandering eye). But this book has a major twist. A third of the way through, it becomes clear that things aren't at all what they seem. (Because I was listening to the audiobook, I couldn't then flip through the first part of the book with the shifted situation in mind like I wanted to. Yet listening to the twist occur in the audiobook may have made the unreliable narrator aspect even more arresting than it would be on the page.) After the story's twist becomes clear, the rest of the book is a waiting game; the reader stands by while the characters slowly creep toward the truth the reader already knows. The trick occurs early (also, one major aspect of the true situation directly echoes a fictional setup made famous by a well-known author that is directly referenced within the text), so there isn't much mystery left for the reader for the majority of the story. Yet once the jig is up for the reader, Molloy offers a deeper sense of her characters, offering vulnerabilities and a sense of their real selves. I liked getting a peek at the protagonists' true selves. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? I first mentioned this book in the Greedy Reading List Three Books I'm Reading Now, 2/9/21 Edition. Molloy is also the author of The Perfect Mother, which has its own twist and unreliable narrator. Have you read either or both of these books? How did you think the structure of the twists compared? What did you think once you realized you'd been manipulated into believing faulty premises?

01 Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson Robots, time travel, teen angst, and this gorgeous cover I read this during Pandemic Times, which slowed me down and also, I believe, made it tougher than it (They’re also each called by multiple titles and names, which became slightly jumbled in my mind at times I wished for more page time spent on everyday tasks and activities (cooking, shifting household modules , travel, and communicating), which were all carried out in Jetsons-level, fascinating, futuristic ways

Robots, time travel, teen angst, and this gorgeous cover. Yes to all of this. At one point Andra calls her friend Zhade (who is from a time 1,000 years past her origin time) an insult

Rachel Lynn Solomon crafts another sweet, quirky, funny, romantic young adult story that plays with time Barrett can't decide if this time loop is a dream come true--or a living nightmare. I am a huuuuuuge fan of books that play with time, and Straub offers up all the best parts of a time-travel book in This Time Tomorrow. of cutting to the heart of a situation without wasting time.

illness...until she realizes that the red door and visions of the past are real memories from her own time-travel

For my full review, check out Doctors and Friends. 03 This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub This Time Tomorrow Straub offers a story that plays with time, explores sentimental moments, offers do-overs, and sweeps I am a huuuuuuge fan of books that play with time, and Straub offers up all the best parts of a time-travel book in This Time Tomorrow. of cutting to the heart of a situation without wasting time.

Rachel Lynn Solomon crafts another sweet, quirky, funny, romantic young adult story that plays with time Do you like books that play with time? list on the Greedy Reading Lists Six Second-Chance, Do-Over, Reliving-Life Stories or Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes, or these Bossy reviews of books that play with time. One Last Stop plays with time in a really fun, interesting way, and through the time-jump premise McQuiston's

retired from tennis at the top of her game as the best player in the world and the greatest of all time For my full review, check out Carrie Soto Is Back. 02 This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub Straub offers I am a huuuuuuge fan of books that play with time, and Straub offers up all the best parts of a time-travel book in This Time Tomorrow. of cutting to the heart of a situation without wasting time.

this last week regarding mysteries, but really, doesn't the cold winter also feel like the perfect time Chambers's science fiction is full of heart, heartbreak, and hope--with a fascinating backdrop of space travel The book feels much more focused on the characters--with a backdrop of space travel and otherworldly You can find my review of Blake Crouch's Recursion (mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel

of stories that suited me then and still hit the spot for me now, and these books stand the test of time unambitious misfit who sticks with them, making them feel unequivocally safe and understood for the first time Earth and Baby, You're Gonna Be Mine, and he has a new book coming out in fall 2022, Now Is Not the Time play with timelines and realities, check out the other books on the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel

auto-pilot, who straighten out curved streets in their minds, which explains why they get lost all the time an in-between state that is not life and not death, in the form of a library that exists outside of time Nora dips in and out of different lives, trying on careers, love lives, travel adventures, fame and fortune Haig is also the author of How to Stop Time, his memoir Reasons to Stay Alive, and other books. Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes.

Bonnie Blaylock's Light to the Hills , it's 1930 in the Kentucky Appalachians, and Amanda Rye is a traveling Amanda makes a special connection with a mountain family on her route that's facing tough times despite Other books I've loved about traveling librarians include The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and The

behind his decision and explores the importance to him of taking an active role in determining the time desperate hope, and a few highs; choosing to end her long-term relationship, and writing a New York Times The vast majority of page time is spent on Suleika's struggle with her physical disease. She weaves in interesting aspects of the time such as the contrast between active female roles in the You can find my review of Blake Crouch's Recursion (mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel

astronauts orbiting the earth at seventeen thousand miles an hour, clinging to Coordinated Universal Time The banter is fantastic, and I laughed many times while reading this one. Bradley This captivating story involves time travel, but it's primarily about deep human connections They're from other times in history. For my full review, please see The Ministry of Time .

fiction novel Wingwalkers, Zeno, a former World War I ace pilot, and Della, his daring wingwalking wife, travel I am a huuuuuuge fan of books that play with time, and Straub offers up all the best parts of a time-travel book in This Time Tomorrow. of cutting to the heart of a situation without wasting time. Astrid is always on time.

look promising. 03 West by Carys Davies ​This isn't strictly a Western, but the main protagonist does travel He feels unshakably compelled to travel west to find out if the mammoth animals he's heard described with his sister, Bess's short-tempered aunt, although he expects to be away on his irrational, foolish travels Bess, stuck at home, traces Cy's optimistic travel route on a map (and, disturbingly, struggles multiple Hawker is also the author of The Ragged Edge of Night. 05 The Widow Nash by Jamie Harrison Dulcy has traveled

unambitious misfit who sticks with them, making them feel unequivocally safe and understood for the first time you like books that play with timelines and realities, check out the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel

an unforgiving climate, facing an unexplained phenomenon, and seeking the impossible: to turn back time simply a light, visible energy, or, as Laurel is beginning to imagine, possibly a portal to another time Conceptually, the next phases of the novel are intriguing; Eli and Laurel spend extensive page time in They share the hope of reversing time and then traveling back to their original world, thereby undoing You might want to also check out these other Bossy reviews of books that play with time.

fascinated by the optimistic explorer spirit--and I love reading about strong female characters in a time Bird Isabella Bird's nonfiction account of her 1873 travels through the rugged, wondrous American West characters she encounters in the west combined with her mix of no-nonsense practicality and ambitious traveling profession was tainted by traveling butchers and thieves), and his gallant, grumpy, well-read, mischievous Paulette Jiles Captain Kidd has fought in three wars, and after the Civil War's end, he serves as a traveling

he brings his offbeat humor, acerbic observations, and surprising heart to recounting stories about travel This year Sedaris revealed for the first time that his longtime partner Hugh has secretly (even from enough edge to keep me feeling slightly, delightedly nervous about what's to come, yet much of the time The final lines of the essays felt at times a little bit sentimental or cute, but he does have to wrap

Chloe Benjamin's captivating novel Under Story; and I'm listening to Madeline Martin's newest novel, A Time simply a light, visible energy, or, as Laurel is beginning to imagine, possibly a portal to another time Chloe Benjamin is also the author of The Immortalists and The Anatomy of Dreams. 03 A Time of Witches and when her future is foretold by an odd, believable seer, Lilith knows she must find a way back in time Lilith travels to England to reach Sybil, save her own life--and just maybe fall in love.

We meet two main protagonists: independent young adult Birdie, who travels from her rural hometown to includes plot points that are linked to chilling, actual federal laws regarding women's health during the time The story is long enough to meander at times; we drift in and out of Birdie's and Meg's lives without But by the time key matters are resolved, after so much page time, the resolutions feel somewhat abrupt I appreciated Stockett's taking time for difficult truth-telling among characters, the chances for newly

Leave the party right when you think, I'm having such a nice time at this party. His assistant Cody has all of the details in hand for the retired executive who is traveling to his final The poignant premise is also darkly funny at times, often absurd, and frequently breathtakingly, messily

Woolever also recounts her time as assistant to the kind, passionate Tony Bourdain until the time of I was most interested in the travel, food-focused writing, eating accounts, and breakneck-speed, often

The Books I'm Reading Now I took a break from posting (and everyday life) last week to spend time with It was a wonderful vacation--but I didn't have time for much reading except for during my plane rides is a young girl in Nova Scotia, she stumbles onto Clay and his island and enters into a mysterious time History by Beverly Gage Beverly Gage is a lifelong historian who traveled across the United States in

In a fascinating, heartwarming, lovely account, Tomlinson spends three years traveling dog shows across At times he good-naturedly highlights the absurdity of this world, at least for those looking in from focuses primarily on the path of one promising show dog, Striker, and his handler, Laura King, as they travel

The Books I'm Reading Now It's audiobook time! I'm listening to R. F. Kuang Lily Chen is a college student who travels to Taiwan to study in an intensive language program building strength, eliminating those who would betray her, trusting unlikely allies, and biding her time

But time was the worst thing; time, it seemed to him now, was the only thing you couldn't change; whatever beautifully balanced between the tension of John's secret, Ivar's misplaced trust (and of the looming time Time passes as though in a vacuum, and the men's need for human connection overshadows all else. By the time John's wife appears--fresh from a rough sea journey, inspired to travel by a sense that John

01 A Practically Perfect Rom-Com: Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan This nearly perfect rom-com For my full review of this book, please see Dolly All the Time. he brings his offbeat humor, acerbic observations, and surprising heart to recounting stories about travel We meet two main protagonists: independent young adult Birdie, who travels from her rural hometown to But by the time key matters are resolved, after so much page time, the resolutions feel somewhat abrupt

But when Russia invades Ukraine as they're traveling, it changes everything. The extended kidnapping situation begins to feel interminable, but the stretching out of time and close difficult to pin down the tone and the multiple stories being told, and I felt off kilter much of the time

reading The Other Valley, Scott Alexander Howard's literary speculative fiction about the implications of traveling back and forth through time; I'm listening to Abby Jimenez's newest story, another of her rom-coms with considers applying for the powerful Conseil, which makes decisions about who is allowed to anonymously travel But Justin's family is going through an incredibly complicated and fraught time, and he's caring for --and the reason she can't settle down for more than a couple of months at a time.

unconventional bonds, chosen-family elements, and vivid details that place the reader in points in time Phil travels worldwide for his job, and his more appealing personality and our peek into his viewpoint her deadly health crisis occurs after she refuses to be screened for cancer for an irresponsibly long time We zigzag to spend page time with intriguing side characters (Yvette, with whom Phil has a very brief sometimes-disjointed feeling of the story, but I loved Huneven's gift for placing us in vividly set scenes of the times

Tedious, infuriating, frustrating, time-sucking tasks piled onto the crush of everyday life so that Brooks Three years after his death, she traveled to a remote Australian island--where she had once considered anger, sadness, confusion, and desperation, then, in her journey and in her deliberate way of taking time

Sky traces the stories of these three disparate characters living alongside rivers in three different times Shafak uses the life-giving--and at times, through flood or pollution, life-taking--waters of the Tigris Narin's story, aside from modern modes of travel and communication, feels like a tragedy pulled from that the Yazidi people have been endlessly beaten down and massacred over and over again since ancient times tragically beautiful intertwined novel that shines a light on weighty issues at three points in space and time

Communication and travel between Earth and his planet, New Sonora, should soon be established again, I laughed out loud at times, I mourned the good guys' losses, and I was entertained throughout.

But participation requires traveling to California, consenting to receiving mysterious, purportedly helpful application to the fields rejected, one is a hopeful participant, one lost a brother after he spent time The bond between the travelers was heartwarming, and they surprise each other and themselves with the

We’re all, all the time, striving, and though that means there’s a more-or-less constant supply of failure In time I came to think it the common ground of all humanity. On my first venture out of the country, I traveled to London and to a small town in County Clare, Ireland More Niall Williams Love For my review of Niall Williams's lovely Time of the Child , please click  

“It’s true I do have time and freedom and I love it, sometimes. But the notion that I should be 'making the most of it,' travelling the world or out every night, there Can’t I just be happy, or unhappy, just mess about and read and waste time and be unfulfilled by myself After meeting for the first time, Michael, a recently divorced teacher, studious and thoughtful, and

01 Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan This nearly perfect rom-com hit all the right notes for me. For my full Bossy review, please check out Dolly All the Time. 02 Night Night Fawn by Jordy Rosenberg Through it all, death looms, and as Barbara prepares to exit the corporal world she is at times afraid Beverly Gage traveled across the United States in order to write this work highlighting key points in She begins the book by reflecting on her youth and longtime interest in history, her travels as a young

The unnamed narrator of Ben Lerner's short (144-page) novel has traveled to interview his 90-year-old A skip in time to the book's second section finds various academics in Spain honoring Thomas after his

She hopes to travel to the home of the fae (making out with her fiance and would-be assassin all the I tired of Annie's frequent and extensive swooning over August, despite her suspicions that he is actually horrifying, but I was most interested in the monster-type transformation that threatens to overtake her in time A very minor but distracting note: the smell of petrichor is mentioned thirteen times in the story.

betrayal, and shock, nor does she mine those experiences for drama or sit in them for a gratuitously long time illustrates Hatmaker's vulnerability as she searches for a way out of grief, fights to simply function, then travels

but she's plainly dressed, tall, work-driven, and uninterested in social niceties, so she spends her time and outs of royal customs, adjust her practical wardrobe, and leave her personal research behind to travel

I hope if you're heading into a long weekend that you find time to cozy in and read something wonderful And by happenstance, this revenge also threatens Ma's family's ability to travel to a land of plenty. but she's plainly dressed, tall, work-driven, and uninterested in social niceties, so she spends her time and outs of royal customs, adjust her practical wardrobe, and leave her personal research behind to travel I appreciated the epic length of the book (688 pages), in which each remaining knight gets page time

somaforming, human space flight has been revolutionized; synthetic supplementations allow humans to travel We were kings without enemies, children removed from time. This book is quite short, and I wished for more time with and development of the characters.

of which was read aloud for the (obtuse, grumpy, belligerent) poet's wife's birthday, then lost to time Time passes as though in a vacuum, and the men's need for human connection overshadows all else. By the time John's wife appears--fresh from a rough sea journey, inspired to travel by a sense that John Click here for my full review of The Boy from the Sea. 06 Time of the Child by Niall Williams Time of For my full review of this book please see Time of the Child. 

Time passes as though in a vacuum, and the men's need for human connection overshadows all else. By the time John's wife appears--fresh from a rough sea journey, inspired to travel by a sense that John embrace Brendan, as he is ultimately named, as one of their own, yet hold him separate--and, for a time In a fascinating, heartwarming, lovely account, Tomlinson spends three years traveling dog shows across At times he good-naturedly highlights the absurdity of this world, at least for those looking in from

The Robot Books It's been a long time since I've talked about science fiction and robot stories. Chambers's science fiction is full of heart, heartbreak, and hope--with a fascinating backdrop of space travel The book feels much more focused on the characters--with a backdrop of space travel and otherworldly They begin to forge a stronger bond (despite how irritating they each find the other), but there's no time I think this was because of personal timing and my reading-during-vacation distraction circumstances,

generally feel extreme personal discomfort at witnessing others' questionable decision-making, and at times But I settled into the constant unease of traveling alongside a character whose author seemed hell bent I laughed out loud once and did enjoy the dark humor that emerges at times.