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Kristin Hannah's very popular book set during World War II about a family stretched to its limits in the face Her goal: to win a ruthless, exclusive annual motorbike race through Axis-controlled lands. Buckle up for this one--it's unusual and fast-paced.

, disturbing, strange exploration of a post-plague world, coping with death, and how to live in the face on real-life double agents in the Cambridge Spy Ring--is vividly set in Europe and Russia and was a rare writers; and digs in to try to be one of what he hopes will be an ever-increasing number of diverse faces fictional account of an interracial music duo's rise to success (and their famous split), a story in which race Sunny Shelton shapes an oral history of two music idols, tracing their family lives, youthful experiences

highlights tragic, uncomfortable aspects of our nation's history in an important work of nonfiction about race

or more strenuous work; manage the implications of a backlash against artificial enhancements; and face motivation here, as well as clashes between idealism and realism and editorialization about class and race

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading a romantic book about aspiring musicians with intertwined pasts; the rich fictional history of an esteemed figure in early twentieth century New York and his mysterious death; and a science fiction-slanted story about young women shaped by their unusual creation stories who seek to form their own futures. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 Moonlight Drive by A.R. Hadley The title of this book (which is explained as coming from a Doors song) evokes romantic ideas, and so far the story reads to me like a soap opera-esque romance. Moonlight Drive relies upon a seemingly implausible premise--one in which a famous singer doesn’t recognize the person who provided the pivotal years-long emotional connection in their early teens. The “groupie” (really the childhood friend) lives on the bus, is invited to share rooms with the band, and tantalizes the star--all without being recognized by the soulmate of her youth. Currently there are many instances of interrupted speech--so much so that sometimes I wasn’t sure what the characters were getting at--and frequent instances of what feels like unrealistically intuitive mind-reading. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book through NetGalley and Chameleon Media Productions. If you like stories about music, you might like the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Rockin' Stories about Bands and Music or the books A Song for the Road or The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes. 02 The Great Mistake by Jonathan Lee Andrew Green has been shot dead in front of his stately New York City home at the age of 83. He was an elderly man, but still a spitfire who wasn't finished making incredibly significant contributions to society. The real-life, forgotten figure of Green was involved in a gloriously absurd array of real-life, essential projects—the creation of Central Park, the founding of the Met Museum and the Natural History Museum, putting Boss Tweed behind bars, securing a more equitable New York public school system, establishing the New York Public Library, and combining Manhattan with Brooklyn and Queens into a greater New York. Inspectors take into custody the man who shot Green; they work to understand the shooter's odd story and to retrace Green's last steps in hopes of understanding the reason for his death. So far this is a love letter to turn-of-the-century New York and a captivating story that reminds me somewhat of Amor Towles's A Gentleman in Moscow. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book courtesy of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley. 03 Girl One by Sara Flannery Murphy Young adult Josie is Girl One, the first of nine baby girls who were famously conceived without male sperm years ago on the now-dismantled commune The Homestead. She's spent her life plagued by criticism, misogyny, obsessed fans, and the weight of the circumstances of her birth. Yet she embraces her past and aims to further the scientific work of her father figure, Dr. Joseph Bellanger, who tragically died in a fire on the commune years earlier. Josie's studies and desire to learn more about her "virgin birth" drive a wedge between Josie and her mother, and Josie isn't sure exactly why. Her mother's disappearance leads Josie to track down the other Girls, and together they discover strange, unique powers as they rely on each other and attempt to unravel their shared history. They're learning to trust that the circumstances of their creation do not determine their identities or what they're capable of. I'm taken with this story so far. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book through Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley.

But when a wildfire rages near where they're canoeing the Maskwa River in northern Canada, everything And although the three interconnected women faced sometimes staggeringly tragic challenges, Spera injects But the details of cooking, surviving, race relations, and life in 1924 South Carolina were wonderful

distance from those they've left behind, forge bonds with each other, and reflect on their lives while racing Samantha Harvey's astronaut-focused novel Orbital  traces a single day in the lives of six astronauts mortality like I am, you might like the books on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality  and Six More Powerful Books about Facing Mortality . And the carefree vacations of the past feel light years away, because Rocky's menopausal rage threatens

She teaches the children evacuated from London, children society has rejected because of race, impairment The language and pacing is so lovely, the World War II settings so exquisitely laid out, and the dialogue are drawn to this time period thinking it was a war of absolute good versus absolute evil—qualities rarely

In The Office of Historical Corrections, Evans offers short stories centering around themes of race, She beautifully and powerfully illustrates essential, deep truths by tracing moments in her characters

Sheriff Brody Dern must face his own postwar demons when he confronts Noah Bluestone, a Native American Yet the tone of the book is not one of intrigue and suspense; this is a patiently paced story of a time William Kent Krueger is also the author of The Levee, Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land.

This romance-laced mystery centered around a podcast and its host's disappearance includes some far-fetched-feeling elements, but Tiffany Crum's debut novel keeps up the pacing and kept me interested throughout, including The pacing of This Story Might Save Your Life moves along; Crum tracks back and forth in time, relies

Collapse provides more of SecUnit's emotional coping with PTSD than action, and I missed the faster pacing catch up with the delightfully grumpy Murderbot (SecUnit), who in this seventh book in the series is faced trying to come to terms with its near-death experience, yet the page time spent on insecurity, fear, and facing past trauma is one reason the pacing of System Collapse felt quite slow to me until the final sections The end section of the story involves fast-paced reactions and conflicts, with SecUnit doing its thing

involvement leads him to discover elements about Gretel's youth in Berlin that she never wanted to face skating through her days pushing down her guilt and her complicated past, but it seems she'll have to face dating game is rusty, her sobriety program mentor is claustrophobically rigid, her estranged father is facing The pacing is appropriately slow as characters wander, wonder, and come across little new information

Many are suffering and afraid in the face of this discriminatory kidnaping, and tens of thousands of land and tackling another; striving to hold on to culture while navigating unfamiliar pitfalls; and facing The title may be a little self-conscious, but the book itself is darkly funny, with wonderfully paced The title may be a little self-conscious, but the book itself is darkly funny, with wonderfully paced Yet there are bright points: some rare friendships emerge, sisters build intense loyalty to each other

The marching toward destruction of both of these makes for a nerve-racking, heartbreaking story. For every island is a canoe, and all the earth is an island, living by the grace of the immense and slowly

240 pages) fantasy novel Nocturne, set in the Little Italy of 1930s Chicago, promising young dancer Grace As the Depression rages, orphaned Italian immigrant Grace rises through the ranks of the Near North Ballet Grace is faced with compromises and tradeoffs, and she must decide where her own loyalties lie and determine I felt connected to Wees's story through Grace's early struggles, her sole real connection, to friend Grace's benefactor, who barely speaks, seeks to control her, and has professed his romantic interest

nuanced than it felt originally, and I was intrigued by watching their shifts, accommodations, and grace The pace of the story is swift, and Holsinger keeps the reader uncomfortable as the story draws to a

It feels ungenerous to note in the face of so much vulnerability, sassiness, and messy truth that the pacing of the book felt somewhat uneven to me.

But I was distracted by what felt like uneven pacing, multiple willfully delayed resolutions, and slapstick-seeming She uses the sharing of space facts to deflect from emotions, uncomfortable situations, and facing the facts Enid spouted off at times, but in general, the story's tone frequently felt oddly zany, and the pacing

Schwab returns to the world of the four Londons in the first of a wonderfully paced new series featuring In Red London, Kell's brother king Rhy Maresh is facing spreading resistance and assassination attempts I loved returning to the wonderful Schwab pacing and banter and delving into the love stories already

She faces unknown dangers and heartbreaking betrayal in this fast-paced novel. Ava Glass's Alias Emma was a fast-paced cat-and-mouse chase across London and through an underground

Patrick Bringley, a former New Yorker  staffer, after facing the tragic death of his beloved brother, The slow pace and straightforward duties of the job suited Bringley, who, along with his fellow guards Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing

But I've been frustrated while reading some other Hannah stories by what feels like odd pacing, soap-opera She faces repeated horrors of war, must find her own inner fortitude, and forges eternal loyalty and When she returns home, she faces anti-war sentiments, the shock of returning to her pre-war life, and

The story's pacing doesn't flag, although the tale sets a slower tempo as Maurice and Maralyn settle and it's fascinating to read about the renewed vigor with which the couple--and particularly Maralyn--faces

The premise of Lex Croucher's Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is irresistible, the pacing is great, and the mortality like I am, you might like the books on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality and Six More Powerful Books about Facing Mortality. finds love in unlikely places, recalls his life, and finds ways to try to make a difference in the face strong feminist messages, magical realism, haunting elements, and the terrifying, freeing truth in facing

Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley Patrick Bringley, a former New Yorker staffer, after facing The slow pace and straightforward duties of the job suited Bringley, who, along with his fellow guards

She contrasts this with her father's presentation to the world of his generosity, wisdom, and graceful messy, imperfect, and wonderfully independent as she wishes it to be--back into her own hands, while facing Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing

It wasn't one great tragedy, but ten million tiny ones, and everyone faced theirs alone. vivid historical setting and magical elements in Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy (see links to my rave The story's pacing felt quite slow and the tone extremely dark and hushed for the majority of the book

land and tackling another; striving to hold on to culture while navigating unfamiliar pitfalls; and facing undocumented workers; the family members experience years of constant fears of deportation; and then they must face The title may be a little self-conscious, but the book itself is darkly funny, with wonderfully paced The title may be a little self-conscious, but the book itself is darkly funny, with wonderfully paced Yet there are bright points: some rare friendships emerge, sisters build intense loyalty to each other

In her memoir In Love, author Amy Bloom shares the story of an impossible situation: how she faced the I listed other heartbreaking and beautiful memoirs about facing death and loss in the Greedy Reading List Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality, and Kate Bowler's No Cure for Being Human is another gorgeous book about facing mortality that also appears on this list. --she has to face facts: It really seems undeniable that Max...is a superhero.

But the reader is also privy to the point of view of Julia, Ellis's girlfriend, who is facing unexpected unpromising married man in rural New England for an extended period) seemed to stretch the focus and pacing

240 pages) fantasy novel Nocturne, set in the Little Italy of 1930s Chicago, promising young dancer Grace As the Depression rages, orphaned Grace rises through the ranks of the Near North Ballet Company--losing As Italian immigrant Grace is faced with compromises and tradeoffs, she'll have to decide her own loyalties

Here are my six favorite reads of the past month, all of which I rated 4.5 stars. --she has to face facts: It really seems undeniable that Max...is a superhero. whose parents want her to marry and settle down (something she has no interest in), main protagonist Grace Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown, stinging from her recently canceled wedding, facing being This fast-paced thriller tracks Emma and Michael, the distractingly handsome son of Russian dissidents

The pacing flagged for me throughout the middle of the story, during the slog through various avenues is a satisfyingly deep dive into Gould's behind-the-scenes experiences, including an often breakneck pace 70s, she's set in her ways, she's sometimes out of step and old-fashioned, often grumpy--and she's facing We find out early on that she faces the impending loss of her sight, that she is somewhat estranged from It's lovely to witness Sybil's slowly allowing herself to face the past, addressing difficult issues

The premise of Lex Croucher's Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is irresistible, the pacing is great, and the The story deals with issues of identity, showing resolve in the face of strict societal expectations,

Were Dragons is exquisite, the strong-woman elements are irresistible, and despite what felt like slow pacing I will bring up the issue of dragons again, so brace yourself.... I want you to notice that your feelings are complicated by cultural factors that are, let's face it, I adore the premise of women having the option of "dragoning" when they experience rage or intense joy

mortality like I am, you might like the books on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality and Six More Powerful Books about Facing Mortality. strong feminist messages, magical realism, haunting elements, and the terrifying, freeing truth in facing unpack here, including the exploration of the good and evil warring within each of us; what we do when faced elements, but the novel is far more than that; the story is complex and strange and interesting, with a pace

Pulitzer-Prize-winning) novel Less, we met the character of Arthur Less as he was about to turn fifty and was facing In book two, Less Is Lost, Arthur faces the death of a former lover as well as a financial crisis--and Less's encounters with various colorful characters to inject hope regarding the state of our country and grace for those with different manners of facing the world as best they can.

in small-town Australia with dark secrets and twists and turns, and she offers more of her excellent pacing mysterious disappearance of Kim Gillespie, a young woman from the area, hooks Falk and his old friend Raco

In The Golden Enclaves, the third installment of the series, an allied force of students faces the aftermath This didn't make The Golden Enclaves the most darkly fun, deeply emotional, or captivatingly paced book largely somber tone of the third book in the series appropriately reflects these kids' growing up and facing

But I've been frustrated by what feels like odd pacing, soap-opera elements, outlandish events, or too-easy When she returns home, she faces anti-war sentiments, the shock of returning to her pre-war life, and

the same mold, and whatever that signifies, it means that to spurn each other would be to spit in the face The mystery here is interesting and unfolds at an engaging pace, but it's not the primary focus of the

I was hooked on the captivating details of Renaissance life, masterfully paced swirling danger and paranoia an enormous gold dress meant for her now-deceased sister, Lucrezia marries a stranger, immediately facing The skips through time wonderfully shape the story and create fascinating pacing as Lucrezia enjoys moments

a day, a week, and a month and lays them alongside Big Moments of Realization--which often require grace for painful events in his past while developing a mounting unwillingness to look the other way in the face His grace and empathy guide him in all, and his story is beautiful to read.

Ryland Grace wakes up as the sole survivor of a last-chance effort to save Earth and its inhabitants. Weir provides Grace with unexpected company, fascinating collaboration, fantastic interpersonal relationships present-day story alternates with peeks back in time to life before this space mission, which show Grace problem-solving, particularly scientific experimentation and high-stakes trial and error, and while it slowed the pace

Resolutions were graceful and fitting without being too easy. In Dark Triumph , the book's point of view traces events concurrent with those in the first book, so I love Bardugo's pacing, dialogue, twists and turns, character development, all of it, and I gave this These six books were published over a period of almost twenty-five years, and the story trail traces Queen of the Tearling traces the backstories of key characters and offers varied points of view.

version of this book in the spring, but it slipped through the cracks until two friends shared their rave 70s, she's set in her ways, she's sometimes out of step and old-fashioned, often grumpy--and she's facing We find out early on that she faces the impending loss of her sight, that she is somewhat estranged from It's lovely to witness Sybil's slowly allowing herself to face the past, addressing difficult issues

consistently bizarre, at times base, and often darkly funny as her characters alternately dive into and avoid facing The woman's matter-of-fact approach to life and her graceful ability to cope with her significant past what may turn out to be either full-fledged denial or what may turn out to be a circuitous route to facing

I've also had three Bossy five-star reads in 2023, and I'm hoping I rack up some more for a post to be in small-town Australia with dark secrets and twists and turns, and she offers more of her excellent pacing a day, a week, and a month and lays them alongside Big Moments of Realization--which often require grace check out The Trackers. 06 As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson Jackson doesn't skimp on heart-pounding pacing Jackson does not let off the gas pacing-wise.

of gray areas between good and evil was the most intriguing aspect to me as our elderly protagonist faced involvement leads him to discover elements about Gretel's youth in Berlin that she never wanted to face skating through her days pushing down her guilt and her complicated past, but it seems she'll have to face