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- Six Fantastic Stand-Alone Young Adult Books
I could have listed so many fantastic young adult titles here, but I picked these varied, wonderful six Some other Bossy Bookworm Greedy Reading Lists you might like featuring young adult books: Six Royally Magical Young Adult Series, Six Magical Fairy Tales Grown-Ups Will Love, and Six Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic
- Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes
Helena Smith is a neuroscientist creating technology to preserve memories and allow people to relive are not real, and that they’re actually mentally ill, suffering from False Memory Syndrome. When they encounter loved ones from their memories who are now living alternate lives, in many cases While Sutton begins digging into what’s real and what’s a lie, Smith works feverishly to preserve memories David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks is a set of six intriguing tracks through time that are full of surprises
- Six of the Best Nonfiction Books I've Read This Year
Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family is the true story of a family with twelve children, six
- Six Books with Cold, Wintry Settings to Read by the Fire
I also listed Disappearing Earth in the Greedy Reading List The Six Best Mysteries I Read Last Year. With the passing of the years, however, those memories become distant and malleable, and we shape them Ivey also wrote The Snow Child, a book listed on the Greedy Reading List Six Magical Fairy Tales Grown-Ups above, and Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy, both of which were listed on the Greedy Reading List Six The books on the Greedy Reading List Six Captivating Nordic Stories would also fit nicely here.
- Six Fantastic Dystopian and Postapocalyptic Novels
01 A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World And there may be no law left except what you make of it, but if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you. If we’re not loyal to the things we love, what’s the point?... That’s a kind of death, even if you keep breathing. The thief came and shattered what was left of young Griz's life. Now Griz and his dog are making their way through the world. Griz is capable of fury and revenge, but also great love and loyalty, bravery, and creativity. He's a fantastic character I loved. This great book by C.A. Fletcher was tough to read at times because of the frequent reckless, life-and-death, sometimes ill-advised decision-making in a postapocalyptic world. Fletcher somewhat frequently hints at later events in the book in the middle of early scenes, which added to my anxiety. But the main protagonist Griz is tough as nails and determined and wonderful, and things do ultimately improve in satisfying ways. I thought this was wonderful. #postapocalyptic, #dystopian, #youngadult, #fourstarbookreview 02 The Grace Year The Grace Year is the type of book I could’ve stayed up all night reading. I was totally hooked by this Lord of the Flies-esque situation of trapped girls devolving into paranoia, mayhem, fury, and destruction, with a wonderfully strong and imperfect heroine trying to upend the situation. I felt as though the later sections glossed over some major issues (consorting with the gruesomely brutal enemy; the prospect of folding back into the world that created the horrific system of oppression, control, torture, and death—even with a promise of potential change; fast emotional movement past the loss of a beloved character), but there’s hope for the slow but significant evolution into a new era. I thought the teen girls’ “magic” and its perception by the girls themselves (and especially by the men and women in the society) was haunting. #postapocalyptic, #dystopian, #youngadult, #fourstarbookreview 03 The Girl With All the Gifts Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad. I didn't have a clue what this book was about going in, which worked wonderfully for me. This is listed as an adult title but feels to me like a dark young adult post-apocalyptic novel with several twists. I found this engrossing, really interesting, and also character driven, which feels unusual given one of the aforementioned twists. Some of this is odd, other parts are disturbing, and there are some wonderful implausibly amusing standoffs. And M.R. Carey's story is also hopeful, but not in the way I might have expected. If you like this one, you're going to also want to read Carey's The Boy on the Bridge, which is a standalone book in the same series, is fantastic, and is also on this list. #postapocalyptic, #dystopian, #fantasyscifi, #series, #fourstarbookreview 04 The Dog Stars Hig somehow survived the flu pandemic that killed everyone he knows. Now his wife is gone, his friends are dead, and he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, Jasper, and a mercurial, gun-toting misanthrope named Bangley. Then Hig gets an indication that he is not alone and that there is life out there after all. He must decide if he'll risk a one-way journey to seek out the good, bad, and ugly that may be awaiting him. It's a true life-or-death dilemma for a man with two stark options: safety and loneliness or potential danger and finally making contact with others. And he just might find himself questioning his decisions either way. My initial review of this book was "I loved this book. Nerve-wracking and beautiful, unconventional, real. I love this author. Love." This is one of my all-time favorite books. I'm in for reading anything Peter Heller writes (e.g.,The River and The Painter, both of which I loved, and neither of which is post-apocalyptic). #postapocalyptic, #dystopian, #fivestarbookreview 05 The Power It follows that there are two ways for the nature and use of human power to change. One is that an order might issue from the palace, a command unto the people saying “It is thus.” But the other, the more certain, the more inevitable, is that those thousand thousand points of light should each send a new message. When the people change, the palace cannot hold. Naomi Alderman offers a dark and fascinating look at a world where the traditional male-female and old-young power structures are turned on their heads. The Power explores the destructive nature of the greed for power, especially when coupled with the certainty that your side of the issue is infallible and correct. I found this book fascinating. #dystopian, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview 06 The Boy on the Bridge Months into their save-the-world mission, the soldiers and scientists on the Rosalind Franklin (a tanklike RV with flamethrowers that's nicknamed Rosie) are close to retrieving all of the samples their predecessors left throughout Scotland during an earlier expedition to try to find a cure for the plague. But it begins to become clear that idealistic Dr. Samrina Khan, the head epidemiologist; single-minded young Stephen the wunderkind; gruff, bighearted Colonel Carlisle; and the others on board may not have been meant to succeed in their grand mission after all. Political machinations meant that some of their party needed to be out of the way for corrupt power plays back home. Against enormous odds, the team may just be finding some of the lifesaving answers they were sent to discover. But bringing back their surprising findings might very well mean the wholesale rounding up and destruction of those affected by the plague. The Boy on the Bridge offers adventure, twists, turns, love, scientific exploration, betrayal, and an odd twist of hope. This is the second M.R. Carey book on this list, but I couldn't help myself. There's a character in common between the two books; this person appears at the end of The Boy on the Bridge but is a main character in The Girl With All the Gifts. #postapocalyptic, #dystopian, #fantasyscifi, #series, #fourstarbookreview What are your favorite post-apocalyptic or dystopian books? This category also includes the Hunger Games series, the Insurgent series, Station Eleven, The 5th Wave, The Chosen Ones, The Road, and The Handmaid's Tale, among other excellent titles. A New Wilderness, published in August 2020, looks like a great dystopian novel too. Which other books along these lines should I be reading?
- Six Great Historical Fiction Stories about the Civil War
If you like historical fiction, check out these other Bossy Bookworm Greedy Reading Lists: Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved in the Past Year Six Historical Fiction Mysteries to Intrigue You Six Great Historical Fiction Books Set in the American West Six More Great Historical Fiction Books Set in the American West And memory is not strictly mortal in its nature, either. I also mentioned this book in the Greedy Reading List Six Historical Fiction Novels I Loved in the Past
- Six Magical Fairy Tales Grown-Ups Will Love
the Bright Edge of the World was also wonderful, and will appear on the upcoming Greedy Reading List Six I listed this book in the Greedy Reading List Six Historical Fiction Mysteries to Intrigue You. 06 Uprooted promising books on my to-read list would fit this bill as well, including: Thorn by Intisar Khanani, Six-Gun
- Six Lighter Fiction Stories for Great Escapism
01 Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein Nineteen-year-old Avery Abrams was set to be the next big gymnastics Olympic champion. She had the training, the talent, and the drive. But during the Olympic Trials, she sustained a career-ending injury. For the next few years she dabbled in college, she partied, she drifted, she dated a professional football player, but she didn't find peace and wasn't able to truly come to terms with her new reality. When she hits a version of rock bottom and moves home, Avery's former teammate and crush Ryan (who did become an Olympic champion) talks her into helping him coach Hallie, a young phenom at the gym where Avery spent much of her youth. With lots of gymnastics details that made the setting come to life, Head Over Heels was the engrossing, light fiction book I needed. Orenstein didn't hit any false notes for me and kept me satisfyingly wrapped up in the elite gymnastics world of the story. For my full review, see Head Over Heels. 02 Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis Sometimes in order to delve into a lighter fiction book I find that I have to suspend my disbelief about human behavior. But letting go of expectations about realistic cause and effect in order to buy into a romantic setup (see my review of What You Wish For) is far more difficult for me than suspending my disbelief to buy into the outlandish or supernatural aspects of a romantic but otherwise truly oddball book (see my review of My Lady Jane). The premise of Dear Emmie Blue made me wonder if the story would feel too far-fetched. Lia Louis's Dear Emmie Blue characters are appealingly faulted, sometimes selfish and foolish. Unlikely bonds are forged and reforged. There's a love triangle that I adored. For my full review, please see Dear Emmie Blue. This book was also mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Three Wackily Different Books I'm Reading Now. 03 Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center This book hit the spot for me. Katherine Center's Cassie is a tough-as-nails firefighter who has closed herself off emotionally to protect herself. Her life is orderly and regimented and under control. So clearly everything is about to be upended so that Cassie will be forced to alter her plans and careful schedule and figure out how to come through it all. Although you may see some of the big plot events coming, Center makes the journey so enjoyable that I just didn't care. This is satisfying escapism, but it's not silly or outlandish. Things You Save in a Fire is a quick read that addresses serious matters—betrayal, loyalty, duty, trust, and love, with a little sleuthing and romance to round out things. I thought it was great. For my full review of this book, please see Things You Save in a Fire. 04 Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating totally fits the bill as light-fiction escapism--in this case, with lots of sexy talk and sexy scenes and sexy thoughts and sex. Hazel is a strong personality, and I found myself bristling at her questioning whether she's too much sometimes. Yet the authors clearly care deeply about their characters, and the characters care deeply about each other. It all makes for a heartwarming read in which everyone is trying to love and live and be happy. You can see a satisfying version of happily ever after coming, but I didn't predict the circumstances. I first mentioned this book in the Greedy Reading List Three Books I'm Reading Now, 9/16/20. For my full review of this book, please see Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. 05 Beach Read by Emily Henry Is it fair for a person (me) with particular requirements for light fiction (ideally: not too outlandish of a hook and premise, characters who follow somewhat logical steps in their lives, inner voices that feel real, human connections that warm my heart, and a little romantic something-something) to continue reading light fiction while kind of expecting disappointment? Yes. Yes, it is. Because I suspected that Emily Henry's Beach Read might be a major gem on my light fiction-escapism-pandemic-era reading list and a book that might bring me fully into the bosom of this genre. Fortunately, I was correct. The initial scene-setting didn't feel as authentic to me as the rest of the book. But after that, Beach Read met all of my criteria above and more; it's sweet and funny, it's about writing and books, there are wonderfully faulted love-crossed main protagonists with a shared history, and they share a sexy-playful-obsession that might lead to heartbreak or might lead to love. I mentioned this book in Three Wackily Different Books I'm Reading Right Now, 9/3/20 Edition. For my full review of this book, see Beach Read. 06 One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London In Kate Stayman-London's One to Watch, Bea Schumacher is a popular plus-size fashion blogger who has Instagram fame, wonderful friends--and an unhealthy obsession with a male friend who's attached to someone else. After she drunk-blogs scathing comments about the unrealistic body images of the stars of Main Squeeze (a reality TV show in which a single woman dates strangers hand-picked by the producers and aims to marry one of them), Bea is surprised when a show producer reaches out to her with an unexpected question: Would Bea consider starring in a season of Main Squeeze? Bea finds the proposal laughable, then considers what it might mean for her career, for promoting body positivity, and maybe even for her lackluster romantic life. She's in--for a fantastic wardrobe, incredibly awkward moments, scripted romance, and a beautiful Malibu backdrop. What could go wrong? For my full review of this book, please see One to Watch. What are some of your favorite lighter fiction books? I've been particularly drawn to these types of stories lately because the chances feel slim that things could go seriously or painfully, irrevocably awry for the characters. That's not to say that real, weighty issues aren't raised within these pages, because they are. In the books above, characters cope with abuse or alcohol abuse; they struggle to feel self-respect, a healthy body image, or to establish a true and real sense of self; and they find themselves capable of demonstrating strength in difficult circumstances. But all of these issues are explored within what feels like a safe space--amid swirling attraction, burgeoning romance, self-discovery, some temporary heartbreak, and, typically, a satisfying ending. I love this balance, especially right now. So here's the greedy question: What are some other lighter fiction stories I should be reading?
- Six Historical Fiction Mysteries to Intrigue You
this was lovely. 05 Jackaby Jackaby is the first in a young adult supernatural mystery series, with memorable
- Review of The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller
The pacing of The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is measured, as befits a story that is largely about daily The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is Nathaniel Ian Miller's first novel. you like books set in the unforgiving cold, you might also like the books on the Greedy Reading List Six
- ICYMI: Six Compelling Nonfiction Books that Read Like Fiction
October of 2020 (I've made a few changes to the text but the list of books is the same) under the title "Six Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family is the true story of a family with twelve children, six
- Review of This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg
Her memoir is candid, poignant, funny, and always entertaining. I love an honest memoir that lets a reader into the author's inner world, and Zarna has lived a fascinating I laughed out loud repeatedly while I was reading this charming memoir by this strong, funny woman. More memoir love For more memoirs you might like, please check out these Bossy reviews as well as Greedy
- Six Fascinating Second-Chance, Do-Over, Reliving-Life Stories
Two of these books also made it onto my Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes Greedy Reading List--along with
- Six Great Stories about Robots, Humans and Alien Life, and AI
The Robot Books I love a good artificial intelligence- or robot-focused story, and these six (plus, in gloriously nerdy that sounded.) 01 The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells I've read five of the six
- Six of My Pandemic-Era Book Buys
01 Pride of Eden Taylor Brown is also the author of The Gods of Howl Mountain, which I loved and thought was a dark, brooding, beautiful book. Pride of Eden just might be the literary fiction version of what I think Tiger King sounds like: exotic animal rescue, a wildlife sanctuary, and settings ranging from an island off Georgia to Africa to Baghdad to the Okefenokee Swamp. Brown crafts colorful characters without resorting to caricature. I can't wait to see what the heck this book is all about. 02 Rodham Curtis Sittenfeld offered a fictionalized version of a first lady's personal history in An American Wife, which I loved, and I thought her short story collection You Think It, I'll Say It was a #fivestarbookreview. Sittenfeld has a fascinating way of turning situations on their heads. In Rodham, Sittenfeld imagines the trail HRC might have blazed if she'd broken up with Bill and forged ahead solo, led by her iron determination and unfailing ambition. 03 We Are Called to Be a Movement I don't have any excuse for not having already read this short (it's 96 pages) sermon by Reverend William J. Barber except that, as usual, everything is due back to the library at once, and I'm plowing through the books I don't own. In We Are Called to Be a Movement, Barber makes an impassioned case for change and a "moral revival," and emphasizes that we are all called to be part of the movement. 04 A Witch in Time From the publisher: "A young woman in Belle Epoque France is cursed to relive a doomed love affair through many lifetimes, as both troubled muse and frustrated artist." In A Witch in Time, Constance Sayers is offering us historical fiction, witches, and repeated reincarnation. Yes to all of this. If I don't like this book, then I just won't know what to believe anymore. Plus, just look at the beautiful, spooky cover. 05 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes This prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy follows Coriolanus Snow through the tenth Hunger Games as he's tasked with the humiliation of mentoring the tribute from District 12. I'll read anything Hunger Games-related, but I admit I'm apprehensive about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Can Collins make loyal Hunger Games readers feel anything besides fury and contempt for anyone named Snow? 06 My Best Friend's Exorcism I've had this on my wish list for a while and decided to perk up my personal pandemic times by owning it. Grady Hendrix is also the author of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, which I really liked. You should really know up front that this 1980s gem of a cover has amazing fake scratches and wear marks on it as though My Best Friend's Exorcism has already passed lovingly hand to hand through your entire grade at school. What have been your favorite pandemic-era book buys? Having an excess of books to read makes me feel safe in a somewhat irrational but cozy-at-home way. I didn't actually need to add books to the multi-layered bookshelf supply over here to achieve "excess of books" status, but I love having these new-to-me titles ready for my reading. Consider visiting Bookshop.org to support independent booksellers if you're adding to your pandemic-era book hoard by buying online. And please let me know what you're reading!
- My Six Favorite Summer 2020 Reads
01 The Vanishing Half In The Vanishing Half, Bennett follows the history of the fictional Vignes twins, Desiree and Stella, as they grow up in a town made up of those who identify as light-skinned black people. As teenagers they run from a prescribed future as maids in the small town, where tragedy in the form of evil white men took their father from them and left their mother scrambling to provide for them. Upon reaching freedom, their paths diverge. One twin secretly passes at work for white, then vanishes into a life based upon this premise. The other twin marries a dark-skinned black man and lives as a black woman. The book explores the complicated implications of perception as reality when it comes to race and its meaning; the subjectivity of and intense power within race labels; and the tension of living under false pretenses. For my full review, see The Vanishing Half. #race, #historicalfiction, #siblings, #fourstarbookreview 02 Florence Adler Swims Forever This lovely debut from Rachel Beanland takes place just before World War II in Atlantic City, and its giant hotels, piers, and general hubbub are the backdrop for this story of a few summer months in the life of an extended family. I loved watching the book’s events unfold. Anything that was wrapped up a little too neatly didn’t bother me at all; I was all in and satisfied. Beanland based some of the basic events of her debut novel on her ancestors’ experiences, which I thought was fascinating but didn't realize until the end. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster in exchange for a review. Click here for my full review of Florence Adler Swims Forever. #historicalfiction, #oldnewyork, #WWII, #fourstarbookreview 03 Blacktop Wasteland Bug is a respectable business owner nowadays with a family. But some old acquaintances show up with an idea that might offer some financial breathing room--if the others on the job can keep their heads on straight, and that's looking like a big if. Blacktop Wasteland is a fantastic blend of realistic complications, mistakes, adjustments, and spunk. It's action-packed but character driven. I'm not inherently interested in the preparation and modification of vehicles or in skillful evasive driving, but S.A. Cosby wrote it so that I was all in. Bug is a wonderfully faulted character. The ending is a little abrupt and opaque, but not without hope. I received an advance copy of this book from Flatiron Books and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. See my full review of Blacktop Wasteland here. #mysterysuspense, #southern, #fourstarbookreview 04 Utopia Avenue In Utopia Avenue, Mitchell takes us through the twists and turns of a fictional psychedelic British sixties band on its rocky rise to popularity, particularly through exploring its members' crises, joys, fears, and triumphs. The book contains endless imagined cameos, fictional adventures, and gems of wisdom from real-life musicians like David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Garcia, and members of the Rolling Stones--not to mention wild parties, betrayals, leaps of faith, breakups, and tragedy. But Mitchell expertly builds the band members into rich characters you're rooting for through their individual ups and downs as well as through the triumphs and setbacks of the band Utopia Avenue. Mitchell doesn't provide too easy or neat of an ending to this weird and wonderful book, but it felt fitting and left me satisfied. This was a really captivating story that kept me intrigued throughout. I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review. For my full review of Utopia Avenue, click here. #historicalfiction, #london, #fourstarbookreview 05 When These Mountains Burn Ray has outlived his beloved wife in the mountains of North Carolina. He has a precious old girl of a dog, a fascination with (and healthy fear of) coyotes, a love of reading, and a no-nonsense manner that makes clear he doesn't brook fools. He has almost resigned himself to the heartbreaking idea that his addict son is too lost to be saved. There's an undercover cop nearby who's trying to help take down a robust drug ring, and then there's Ray, who uses old-fashioned methods and his knowledge of mountain terrain to address injustices in a straightforward way. I read this in 24 hours while wishing I were making it last longer. I received an advance reader's copy of this book from NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons in exchange for an unbiased review. For my full review of When These Mountains Burn, click here. #gothicnoir, #southern, #fourstarbookreview 06 This Is All He Asks of You I just loved this book. Luna stumbles into encounters that shape her life dramatically, in unorthodox and heartbreakingly meaningful ways. I simultaneously wanted to scoop up Luna and take care of her and to follow the lead of this wise-beyond-her-years, intensely spiritual young person. She has a unique and lovely voice and is an irresistibly odd bird of a twelve-year-old girl. I received a copy of this book through John Hunt Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. For my full review of This Is All He Asks of You, click here. #comingofage, #heartwarming, #faith, #nordic, #fourstarbookreview What have been your favorite books published this summer, or favorite books you've read this summer? What should I add to my completely unmanageable master Greedy Reading List of books to read?
- Review of Volatile Memory (Volatile Memory #1) by Seth Haddon
on a quest (you can check out other titles with this theme that I've reviewed here ), and Volatile Memory More Space Quests Volatile Memory is Seth Haddon's science fiction debut.
- How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir by Molly Jong-Fast
Molly Jong-Fast's frank memoir explores her complicated, unsatisfying relationship with her famous mother How to Lose Your Mother is a poignant, sharp, darkly funny memoir of a challenging, volatile relationship About the Author--and More Memoirs Molly Jong-Fast is a journalist, political commentator, and the author For more Bossy reviews of memoirs, please check out the titles and lists at this link .
- Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved in the Past Year
also wrote One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow, which was mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six You might also like to take a look at the Greedy Reading Lists Six Great Historical Fiction Stories Set in the American West, Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved This Year, and Six Captivating Nordic Stories
- The Six Best Mysteries I Read Last Year
In case her books aren't already on your radar, French is the author of six Dublin Murder Squad books
- Review of The Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander
I mentioned The Light of the World in my Greedy Reading List Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore. You might also be interested in the titles on the Greedy Reading List Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing
- Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved This Year
01 Apeirogon: A Novel This is beautiful, powerful, illuminating, and heart-wrenching. The first part felt a little slow, but I'm so very very glad I stuck with it. Apeirogon is structured into 1,001 (this sounds overwhelming, but the book doesn't feel that way) short segments in varied points of view surrounding a Palestinian and an Israeli family on two especially fateful days in their lives. The story builds to show how individuals on opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (and opposite sides of the wall) are at heart the same in their pain, their desires, and their love. It's 480 pages, and ultimately that felt like an appropriate length for settling into the points of view and experiences that are built over a lifetime. The subject matter is weighty and emotional, and McCann manages to make the story both personal and political, which perfectly suits the subject matter. Really a wonderful book. I love McCann's thoughtful writing. For my full review of this book, see Apeirogon. 02 The Light After the War I’m dying to know how closely Anita Abriel’s book traces the inspiring events from her mother’s incredible experiences before, during, and after World War II. The author offers a vivid account of the fear and dread—intermixed with sparks of hope—that sustained Vera and Edith in Hungary and Germany during the war; in Naples as they adjusted to post-war floods of food, fashion, and joy; as they found themselves in more settled situations; and during the evolutions of their careers and love lives. Abriel introduces an enormous shift that shakes things up enormously for both young women before the book’s end. Vera and Edith are such a complementary partnership, and I loved spending time with these strong young women. I was completely engrossed. For my full review, see The Light After the War. 03 The Book of Longings This was a fascinating story from the point of view of an imagined wife for Jesus, including an exploration of gender roles, a reimagined faith, the frustrations of societal expectations for women, great adventure, strong female loyalty and friendship, love, and lots of fantastic details of life at the time. Much of the fever pitch of support and hatred for Jesus occurs when the main character of Ana is off having other experiences (and often-dangerous adventures). This is an intriguing structure for the story: Jesus as a supporting cast member. Jesus's role in Ana's story is as a faithful man who disagrees with the politics of the faith at the time. He primarily serves as a character who cares for, understands, and supports the woman he loves. For my full review of this book, see The Book of Longings. 04 Florence Adler Swims Forever The Atlantic City setting just before WWII, with its giant hotels, piers, and general hubbub, is the backdrop for the story of a few summer months in the life of an extended family. There’s an undercurrent of concern about Hitler and his increasingly punitive behavior toward Jewish families’ businesses and emigration in Germany. I loved watching the book’s events unfold—even if I could predict some of them. Anything that was wrapped up a little too neatly didn’t bother me at all; I was all in and satisfied. Beanland based some of the basic events of her debut novel on her ancestors’ experiences. Fascinating. For my full review of this book, please see Florence Adler Swims Forever. 05 Call Your Daughter Home I worried during the first chapter that Gertrude was going to feel like a caricature of a backwoods Southern woman. But she and the other characters were developed fully. And although the three interconnected female characters faced sometimes staggeringly tragic challenges, Spera injects moments of joy—often related to their relationships to each other. You can see where one of the storylines is going before the character involved understands it, and it might make your blood boil to see the evil situation go on unchecked. But the details of cooking, strong women's determination to survive, race relations, and life in 1924 South Carolina were wonderful, and I still think about this book although I read it almost a year ago (technically, at the end of last year). For my full review, see Call Your Daughter Home. 06 The Pull of the Stars Set in Ireland in 1918, The Pull of the Stars follows a nurse, Julia; a doctor, Kathleen; and a young volunteer, Bridie, over the course of three tumultuous days as the fiery, complex, capable women work desperately to help the patients at their understaffed hospital who are about to give birth while suffering from the devastating new influenza. Donoghue immersed me fully in the moment-by-moment health and emotional crises; the women's determined, sometimes desperately creative attempts to preserve lives; and their occasional triumphs. The rest of the world fell away for me as I was reading, and I couldn't wait to get back to this book. The author of the disturbing, fascinating story Room knows how to craft a tale of survival and of finding hope in the most dire situations. For my full review, see The Pull of the Stars. What's some of your favorite historical fiction? I could make one meellion lists of my historical fiction loves (and I might). Any favorites I should add to my outrageously unmanageable to-read list?
- Review of Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora
Zamora's memoir of his grueling journey from El Salvador to the United States without family at age nine perspective, which also serves to keep us focused on moment-by-moment sensations and concerns and makes the memoir You might also like the books I listed on the Greedy Reading List Six Fascinating Books about the Immigrant
- Review of I'm Laughing Because I'm Crying: A Memoir by Youngmi Mayer
Mayer's memoir focuses on straddling two cultures without feeling fully integrated into either; the various stand-up comedian and podcast host, and she is intrigued by dark humor, aiming to inject it into her memoir Bossy memoir love Youngmi Mayer is a standup comedian and host of the podcasts Feeling Asian and Hairy For more memoirs I've loved, check out the titles and Bossy reviews at this link .
- Six More Great Historical Fiction Books Set in the American West
second chances take shape, a little retribution, and an attempt at a changed existence—but the haunting memories If you like books like those above, you might also like the titles on the Greedy Reading List Six Great If you like historical fiction mysteries, you might try the books listed here: Six Historical Fiction And for great historical fiction of all types, look at: Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved in the Past Year and Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved This Year.
- Six Book Club Books I Loved Last Year
In Olive, Again, she ambles through town and reflects on aging, on her life, and especially on memories
- Six More Great Fiction Titles I Loved This Year
If you like books that play with timelines and realities, check out the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting you're looking for more great fiction, you might also want to check out the Greedy Reading List My Six
- Review of Uncultured: A Memoir by Daniella Mestyanek Young
and a front-row view of the misogyny and gaslighting she experienced in the military in this powerful memoir For more more more memoirs that you might want to try, check out these Greedy Reading Lists: Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality
- Review of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford
Comedian Maria Bamford's memoir is unflinching in examining her own base impulses and personal challenges More Bamford and Other Memoirs Maria Bamford is also the author of Weakness Is the Brand , Unwanted Thoughts You might also want to check out these Bossy reviews of memoirs I've read.
- Six Great Historical Fiction Stories Set in the American West
Turner's story is inspired by her family's memoirs, and her Sarah Prine is a strong woman living on the
- Six Great Stories about Brave Women During World War II
For great historical fiction of all types, you might like to check out Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved in the Past Year and Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved This Year.
- Six Newish Young Adult Mysteries I Want to Read
01 I Killed Zoe Spanos I'll admit that this cover hooked me at first look, but the premise of this story is similarly irresistible. Anna arrives in a sleepy Hamptons village to be a nanny, but the community has recently been rocked by the disappearance of a young woman, Zoe Spanos. Strangely, Anna looks a lot like Zoe, so she's faced with the village's pain and suspicion everywhere she goes. By the end of the summer, Anna has delved into Zoe's disappearance and has attempted to untangle the truth of what happened. Eventually she herself confesses to having hurt Zoe. But not everyone is satisfied with her shaky story. #youngadult, #mystery 02 The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly In Meredith Tate's newest book, Ivy and her wonderfully nerdy friends play in the school band and love board games. But her older sister Autumn is into a darker scene, and when Autumn is abducted by people connected to a drug ring, Ivy must plunge into the sinister underbelly of her sister's life to try to save her. If Ivy can unravel the snarl of dangerous clues and uncover the secrets Autumn's been keeping, maybe she'll be able to help her sister survive. #youngadult, #mystery, #siblings 03 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder It's been years since a local young woman, Andie Bell, was murdered by Sal Singh. But Pippa Fitz-Amobi is becoming convinced that Sal didn't do it after all. What happens if the real killer is still on the loose--and what if the murderer finds out Pippa is stirring up suspicion about what really happened? Is this kind of a young adult fiction version of the Serial podcast? I'm really hoping so. #youngadult, #mystery 04 Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know Samira Ahmed offers two story lines of young women separated by centuries. Khayyam is in Paris with her parents, but her boyfriend has probably broken up with her and she didn't get into the college she wanted, and she'd just like to wallow. Two hundred years in the past, Leila is a young Muslim woman struggling to survive. As Khayyam eagerly discovers more of Leila's mysterious history, she begins to grow and change in this feminist coming-of-age story. #youngadult, #mystery, #historicalfiction, #dualstoryline 05 All Eyes on Her Tabby and Mark were dating. They went into the woods, but only Tabby came out again. L.E. Flynn presents a story told in everyone's point of view besides Tabby's, a tale in which her best friend, her sister, her ex-boyfriend, and her enemy attempt to cobble together what they think happened--and to assert that they know Tabby and her motivations best. "A frenzied psychological thriller, superbly paced." ―Booklist, starred review #youngadult, #mystery 06 The Inheritance Games Avery is in high school, and all she's focused on is getting a scholarship and getting out of town. But when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne, a stranger, leaves his fortune to her, her life becomes a lot more complicated--and a lot more dangerous. She must move into the house to claim her inheritance, but Hawthorne's surviving relatives are bitter, determined to prove her a con woman--and they're still living in the house. Hawthorne has set out riddles and puzzles Avery must solve before coming into the money that could save her--or will the search for answers destroy her first? This is the first in the Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, who also wrote The Naturals series. #youngadult, #mystery, #series Any young adult mysteries you've enjoyed lately? There are many recent-ish young adult mysteries that sound intriguing, and I had a little trouble narrowing down this list. Where was this embarrassment of young-adult-mystery riches when I was actually a young adult? Thank goodness for Lois Duncan (Stranger with my Face!) or I would have been completely out of luck.
- Review of All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley
If you like to read memoirs, you might like to check out some of my Bossy memoir reviews , or some of my Greedy Reading Lists of favorites: Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Musicians' Memoirs that Sing Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality Six of My Favorite Memoir Reads Last Year
- Review of You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith
Poet Maggie Smith's memoir traces the end of her marriage, weaving in the history and the future while For memoirs I've loved that you might want to try, check out these Greedy Reading Lists: Six Musicians ' Memoirs that Sing Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality
- Review of The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
If you like to read memoirs like I do, you might be interested in the Greedy Reading Lists here: Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Musicians' Memoirs that Sing Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality Six of My Favorite Memoir Reads Last Year
- Review of Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu
Hsu's memoir remembers his friend Ken, who was tragically killed during college. Stay True in order to cope with his loss, explore the concept of belonging, face his own grief, and memorialize Over the course of many years, the author sorted through his feelings and memories, cherishing a folder
- Review of In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom
In her memoir In Love, author Amy Bloom shares the story of an impossible situation: the pending loss She notes that six million people in the United States are suffering from Alzheimer's at any given moment 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
- Review of Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up by Selma Blair
In her memoir, Blair takes the reader through her childhood, where she is steadily called Mean Baby-- For more more more memoirs I've loved that you might want to try, check out these Greedy Reading Lists : Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality
- Review of Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
In Mother Mary Comes to Me , the author of The God of Small Things shares a memoir that in part explores More Memoirs, More India Arundhati Roy is the author of The God of Small Things and The Ministry of For more Bossy reviews of memoirs please check out the titles at this link , and you can find Bossy reviews
- Review of Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
Ina's memoir is personal and thoughtful. specialty food shop in the Hamptons (and television show), Barefoot Contessa, offers a personal, charming memoir If you enjoy memoirs, you can find Bossy reviews of my favorites here . And check out some of my favorite foodie memoirs here .
- Review of They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies that Raised Us by Prachi Gupta
If you like to read memoirs, you might be interested in the titles on my various memoir-focused Greedy Reading Lists: Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Musicians ' Memoirs that Sing Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality Six of My Favorite Memoir Reads Last Year
- Review of Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
I listened to Perry's memoir as an audiobook. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? For memoirs I've loved that you might want to try, check out these Greedy Reading Lists: Six Musicians ' Memoirs that Sing Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into Six Illuminating Memoirs I've Read This Year Six More Illuminating Memoirs to Lose Yourself In Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite Six Powerful Memoirs about Facing Mortality
- Review of Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir by Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk's memoir digs into fascinating elements of process, creativity, and collaboration, and he If you like memoirs, you might want to check out this Greedy Reading List, Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore--which links to six more memoir lists for you to dig into! (That's forty-two Bossy memoir suggestions for those of you as obsessed with memoirs as I apparently
- Review of What In the World?! A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings by Leanne Morgan
Comedian Leanne Morgan's memoir traces her path from an attention-seeking, beloved young girl to a young But her memoir also traces her youth (when she imagined that she would find fame in some way), her first This is a relatively short memoir, and if you're already a fan of Leanne Morgan's, you'll likely enjoy Are you a fan of memoirs? What about celebrity memoirs? You can find Bossy reviews of other memoirs--and Greedy Reading Lists of my favorites by theme-- here
- Review of These Memories Do Not Belong to Us by Yiming Ma
I'm drawn to stories that explore issues around memory. In Ma's science fiction novel, China is the sole global superpower, and citizens' memories are valuable Memories can be manipulated, unacceptable memories can be used as evidence of traitorous intent, and More Books about Memory This is Yiming Ma's first book. For other Bossy reviews of books about memory, check out the titles at this link .
- Review of Lucky Loser: Adventures in Comedy and Tennis by Michael Kosta
Michael Kosta when I began reading this book--I'm out of date on my Daily Show viewing-- but I love memoirs More Books about Comedy and Memoirs For more Bossy reviews of books about comedy, check out the titles And for more memoirs I've loved, take a look at these titles .
- Review of Rebel Rising by Rebel Wilson
Wilson overcame tough childhood circumstances before setting her sights on becoming a performer, and her memoir I love to listen to the audiobook version of a memoir (if you haven't yet, you might want to check out the many stand-alone memoir reviews and memoir-focused Greedy Reading Lists I've posted on Bossy Bookworm A friend recommended actress Rebel Wilson's memoir Rebel Rising , and I listened to the Australian's
- Review of The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man by Paul Newman
Life of an Ordinary Man to be available through my library, I started watching The Last Movie Stars, a six-part But a memoir, read by the author? I typically can't say no. If you love memoirs, you might like some of the books on my many Bossy lists of favorites: Six Illuminating Memoirs to Dive Into, Six Illuminating Memoirs to Check Out, Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore, Six More Fascinating Memoirs to Explore, Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite, and Six Musicians' Memoirs
- Review of Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison
More memoir love I received a prepublication edition of the 656-page Lorne courtesy of Random House For more memoirs you may like, please check out the reviews of various titles at this link .
- Review of What I Ate in One Year (and Related Thoughts) by Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci is also the author of the cookbooks The Tucci Table and The Tucci Cookbook, as well as the memoir

















































