I listened to this memoir as an audiobook. Bossy Foodie Memoir Favorites You might also be interested in the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Foodie Memoirs to Whet Your Appetite .

mentioned the series, which is set in Russia and has a dark fairy-tale tone, in the Greedy Reading List Six a book that frankly would stand alone beautifully, but instead, luckily for us, it begins Turner's six-book These six books were published over a period of almost twenty-five years, and the story trail traces

young adult supernatural mystery series of the same name, and in it, author William Ritter provides memorable

Solid Mystery and Suspense Reads These six four-star mysteries are all so good and so different--they In case her books aren't already on your radar, French is the author of six Dublin Murder Squad books

Bossy Short Story Love Some of my fellow readers have told me in the past that they don't gravitate toward short stories, whether because they want to dig in more deeply over the course of a longer story and book, because they feel like situations in short stories sometimes feel unresolved, or for another reason. Sometimes short stories tend toward exploring tragedy, as in many of the luminous collections here and their gorgeous heartbreaks. But sometimes nothing does the reading trick like shorter works--especially when time is tight or when I might have trouble concentrating (for example, during a worldwide pandemic)--and I especially love an interconnected set of stories that when taken collectively offer the richness of a longer, in-depth story. Have you read any of these collections? Do you have any favorite short story collections I should read? My own to-read list of short stories includes Maggie Shipstead's upcoming short story collection You Have a Friend in 10A, BJ Novak's One More Thing, Leah Hampton's F*ckface, Kevin Wilson's Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, and Ron Rash's Something Rich and Strange. 01 Thunderstruck & Other Stories by Elizabeth McCracken “Whatever you have lost there are more of, just not yours.” McCracken is a fantastic writer who highlights odd, strangely beautiful elements in small moments. Each of the nine stories in this collection builds from a loss of some kind. In what feels like careful, deliberate shaping by McCracken and her editor, the early stories felt more bleak to me and the later ones offered a little more hope, or at least acceptance. “This was her flaw as a parent, she thought later: she had never truly gotten rid of a single maternal worry. They were all in the closet, with the minuscule footed pajamas and hand-knit baby hats, and every day Laura took them out, unfolded them, tried to put them to use.” McCracken is also the author of The Giant's House, Here's Your Hat What's Your Hurry, The Souvenir Museum, Bowlaway, and the beautiful, heart-wrenching An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination. 02 The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans She thought the insistence on victims without wrongdoers was at the base of the whole American problem, the lie that supported all the others. In The Office of Historical Corrections, Evans offers short stories centering around themes of race, relationships, identity, the fallibility of those who shape historical "fact," as well as grief and loss. She beautifully and powerfully illustrates essential, deep truths by tracing moments in her characters' everyday lives. The themes here are often haunting, always powerful, and wonderfully nuanced, even when the scenes (the artist's exhibition, the actual on-the-spot printed and posted corrections of "fact," and others) take metaphors to their limits. Click here for my full review of The Office of Historical Corrections. 03 Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy “His heart felt dangerously full, for the first time in years. That dried-up battered organ, suddenly flush with love. It could kill him.” In Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It, Maile Meloy keeps you on your toes as you consider what may lay in wait within the relationships she lays out, and you may not be able to anticipate who's going to have a life-changing revelation (or not), who is just who they say they are, and who isn't at all what they seem. A couple of these stories left me wishing for more, but Meloy doesn't leave you hanging, instead drawing you in with the depths of each work. Meloy is also the author of Liars and Saints and A Family Daughter as well as the story collection Half in Love. She also wrote the Apothecary trilogy for young readers. 04 Nothing Gold Can Stay by Ron Rash In Nothing Gold Can Stay, a collection by Ron Rash, the stories take place in different eras, but all are set in North Carolina. The state is as prominent as a character as Rash explores trapped despair, haunting choices, and the beauty of even bleak moments. Rash's writing here is, as always, exquisite, and within these 14 stories, he turns his attention to characters who yearn, regret, and desperately attempt to hide their fragility behind steely exteriors. North Carolina's Rash (he teaches at Western Carolina University) is also the author of other Appalachia-set books: Serena, The World Made Straight, Burning Bright, Above the Waterfall, The Risen, The Cove, and One Foot in Eden, among others. 05 Redeployment by Phil Klay “There are two ways to tell the story. Funny or sad. Guys like it funny, with lots of gore and a grin on your face when you get to the end. Girls like it sad, with a thousand-yard stare out to the distance as you gaze upon the horrors of war they can’t quite see. Either way, it’s the same story.” In Iraq Marine veteran and Dartmouth grad Phil Klay's National Book Award winner Redeployment, the author shares short stories about war and life afterward that read like autobiographical vignettes. This is, as you might expect, difficult subject matter--exploring powerful emotions, troops haunted by decisions and unforeseen dangers, painful adjustments to life after war, and injury and loss. But Klay draws you into his characters' situations too fully for you to want to turn away. 06 Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout As soon as I finished reading this short story collection from Elizabeth Strout (author of, among others, Olive Kitteridge, the wonderful Olive, Again, My Name Is Lucy Barton, and Oh William!), I wished I’d slowed down and taken notes or could start all over and read it again immediately. I love how Strout interlinks characters, backgrounds, and stories so gracefully, yet also allows them to stand on their own. The stories feel immediate and real. Strout shines a light on turning points: small but powerful shifts of power or emotion, masterfully illustrating how a moment sends ripples through the day or the broader life of those involved in it—it’s fascinating. For my full review, please see Anything Is Possible.

You might also be interested in the titles on the Greedy Reading Lists Six More Great Historical Fiction Stories Set in the American West, Six Historical Fiction Mysteries to Intrigue You, Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved in the Past Year, and Six Historical Fiction Books I Loved This Year. 01 Vengeance Road Turner's story is inspired by her family's memoirs, and her Sarah Prine is a strong woman living on the

More More More Memoirs You can find other memoirs I've read and reviewed, including multiple lists of

Six Four-Star (and Up) Bossy Historical Fiction Reads Historical fiction is one of my very favorite genres Here are six of my very favorite historical fiction reads of last year--with another list to come! But not everyone she's paying off can be trusted, some of her six children are undermining her, and goings-on

For my favorite book club reads of 2020, check out the Greedy Reading List Six Book Club Books I Loved you like nonfiction books that read like fiction, you might try the books on the Greedy Reading Lists Six Compelling Nonfiction Books that Read Like Fiction and Six of the Best Nonfiction Books I've Read This

call this lovely reader and friend a big fat liar, so instead I'll offer this Greedy Reading List of SIX included a book each from these genres: faith-focused science fiction, young adult LGBTQ+ fiction, memoir When We Were the Kennedys is a memoir about grieving deeply, leaning on family and community in a crisis I loved this fantastic memoir! Wood's memoir is heartwarming and funny and tragic and vivid.

The memoir is structured with the engaging pacing of a novel--danger, discovery, redemption, and hope More memoir love If you're looking for more Bossy reviews of memoirs--which I almost always listen to

Some Light Fiction Favorites At the start of the pandemic, I was particularly drawn to lighter fiction because the chances felt slim that things could go seriously or painfully, irrevocably awry for the characters. These are some of my light fiction favorites, and they're also perfect for summer reading. Real, weighty issues are raised within the pages of the books on this list: 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. 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. I'm due to create another Greedy Reading List of my more recently read light fiction favorites, but meanwhile, you can find other Bossy light fiction reviews here. I'm solidly in love with Christina Lauren's and Emily Henry's books, and I haven't yet read everything by the other authors listed here. What other lighter fiction authors or stories do you love? 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 in order to buy into 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. But 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. Lia Louis is also the author of Eight Perfect Hours and The Key to My Heart. 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 I saw some of the big plot events coming in Things You Save in a Fire, Center makes the journey so enjoyable that I just didn't care. This novel 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 for 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, the characters care deeply about each other, and I cared that they cared. All of this 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. For my full review of this book, please see Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. Click here for my reviews of Lauren's The Unhoneymooners, In a Holidaze, Love and Other Words, The Soulmate Equation (a favorite), and Autoboyography (another favorite and a young adult LGBTQ+ gem). 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 constantly 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. And 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. For my full review of this book, see Beach Read. And click here for my review of Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation. Stay tuned for my upcoming review of her newest, Book Lovers. 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 decides that she's in--for a fantastic wardrobe, incredibly awkward moments, scripted romance, and a beautiful Malibu backdrop. What could go wrong? I was especially intrigued by how Bea navigated multiple suitors (Bachelorette-style) and by her attempts to give each his due while simultaneously dating and honestly considering the others. She didn't lose sight of embracing each new experience while reflecting on what she wanted her future to look like after the show, above and beyond what others attempted to script or suggest. For my full review of this book, please see One to Watch.

Six Four-Star (and Up) Bossy Science Fiction Reads I realize I just said this last week regarding mysteries Here are six of my favorite science fiction reads of last year--with another list to come! You can find my review of Blake Crouch's Recursion (mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Riveting (Gideon was also mentioned in my Greedy Reading List Six More Postapocalyptic and Dystopian Favorites If you're interested in books about robots, you might also like the books on the Greedy Reading List Six

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.

Two of these books also made it onto my Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes Greedy Reading List--along with

Which books are you gifting this holiday season? This is my second book gift list of the season (the first was last week's Shhh! Book Gift Ideas for the Holidays), and I hope the ideas here (and those in the lists to come) will help you with ideas for beautiful book gifts for anyone on your list! For even more ideas, check out my past book gift guides on the site: Shhh! Books I'm Giving As Gifts This Holiday Shhh! More Book Gift Ideas for the Holidays Shhh! Books I'm Giving Kids and Teens This Holiday, and Shhh! More Book Gifts for Kids and Teens 01 Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide by Cecily Wong “Eating may be the most immersive, visceral travel experience. It requires an engagement of every sense.... Humans around the world are bound by the necessity and pleasure of eating, and there is no faster way to glimpse the heart of a place than by experiencing its food.” I mentioned another title (The World's Most Adventurous Kid) from the Atlas Obscura series last year in my gift list Shhh! Book Gifts for Kids and Teens. This series of books is so beautiful and odd and captivating, I just love giving them as gifts. 02 Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr Doerr's Cloud Cuckoo Land was a complex, heartbreaking, hope-filled, surprising, fascinating read. It feels unfair to compare Cloud Cuckoo Land to Doerr's beloved and quite different book All the Light We Cannot See, and the stories are exceedingly different. But in both novels, Doerr demonstrates the ability to bring a reader deep into disparate situations and create emotional investment. I didn't feel immediately connected to Doerr's story because of the various timelines and characters, but as he began to deeply interweave the stories across time, he also set up rich glimpses into characters' lives at different points in history. I quickly began to be fascinated by the interconnectedness, and I adored this book. For my full (rave) review, please click here. 03 Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach Science writer Mary Roach has a way of immersing readers in what may be unfamiliar or mysterious environments, and her newest book, Fuzz, promises to do this again for the world of animals in what feels like a great gift for animal lovers. In Fuzz, Roach explores animal behavior, wildlife biology, and the complexities of modern human-animal conflicts. Roach is also the author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers; Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal; Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void; Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex; and Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War. 04 Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake Is this a niche gift idea? The cover is so gorgeous, and since I saw it I can't stop thinking about this book, so maybe it's best that I receive this book gift? I'm just thinking out loud here. Entangled Life is Merlin Sheldrake's enthusiastic ode to the supremely important and mysterious life form of fungi--which are neither plant nor animal, live for millenia, and are microscopic yet make up the largest organisms ever recorded. Sheldrake's incredible facts and explorations of the incredible abilities of fungi (they can digest plastics and explosives; they can manipulate animal behavior; and they're involved in the essentials of bread, alcohol, and life-saving medications--who's with me in my obsession for this book now?) make for what is sure to be contagious fascination. 05 These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett “Any story that starts will also end.” I have high hopes for Patchett's newest book, essays published just this week that explore friendship, home, writing, reading, connection, and life. Some book club friends and I preordered this book through our local bookstore Park Road Books and watched a fun virtual author event on the evening of its publication. Patchett is also the author of The Dutch House, Bel Canto, The Patron Saint of Liars, Commonwealth, The Magician's Assistant, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, and other books. She is also, famously, the co-owner of Nashville's Parnassus Books. 06 A Course Called America by Tom Coyne Coyne spent a year traveling the United States in search of the greatest golf experience available, playing every course ever to host a US Open as well as 200 other well-known and much-beloved courses and hidden gems. Coyne sets himself the goal of determining which of these many contenders deserves the title of the Great American Golf Course. Along the way, Coyne connects with people across the country, all of whom share a love for golf--and pride in the course he is visiting. I'm not a golfer, but I do have gift recipients who are, and I've got my eye on this book for them. A Bossy book-buying suggestion: If you're buying books this holiday season, please support your local independent bookstore. They need and appreciate our business now more than ever! Clicking on the book covers beside each Bossy Bookworm blurb will link you to Bookshop, a site that supports the beloved indies that keep readers swimming in thoughtful book recommendations and excellent customer service all year round.

Six More Four-Star (and Up) Bossy Historical Fiction Reads Historical fiction is one of my very favorite I posted last month about Six Four-Star Historical Fiction Reads I Loved Last Year, but I had six more

My friend Deyna recently mentioned revisiting Daisy Jones and the Six. Here are six of my favorite fiction works that have to do with rock and roll, writing songs, performing (The fictional band focus reminded me, in a good way, of Daisy Jones & the Six, mentioned below.) somehow I still haven't read it--as well as A Long Way Down, Slam, How to Be Good, About a Boy, and the memoir Fever Pitch. 04 Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid “You have these lines you won’t cross.

In the first installment of Cher's two-part memoir, she traces some of her ancestors' pivotal stories Early on, the memoir felt like more of a factual account of what occurred in her life than it felt like Memoir love For more Bossy reviews of memoirs I've loved--and there are a lot of titles on this site

Here are six varied books about witches, some I might call modern witchy classics (Wicked and Circe) you like books about magic, here are two other Bossy Bookworm Greedy Reading Lists you might enjoy: Six Royally Magical Young Adult Series and Six Magical Fairy Tales Grown-Ups Will Love. This book also appears on the Greedy Reading List Six Magical Fairy Tales Grown-Ups Will Love. 03 Wicked

Wamariya writes beautifully and brutally honestly about her journey of fleeing from Rwanda and through six her experiences through her childlike point of view, which allows for a painfully pure set of painful memories

a book that frankly would stand alone beautifully, but instead, luckily for us, it begins Turner's six-book These six books were published over a period of almost twenty-five years, and the story trail traces mentioned the series, which is set in Russia and has a dark fairy-tale tone, in the Greedy Reading List Six

brave women during wartime, you might also like the books I listed on the recent Greedy Reading List Six

01 The Mercies I loved The Mercies. The majority of page time is spent showing the tasks of daily life (and almost-claustrophobic interconnectedness) within a tiny, very northern Norwegian community in the early 17th century. But there are witch hunts at hand, and dabbling in the Sami traditions of runes, poppets, or the playing of drums—or simply being a strong-willed woman helping to feed a village by manning fishing boats when the men are all lost—is enough to lead to terrible consequences. Hargrave allows some light into the darkness and cold in the form of love, and important realizations, and some brutal justice, but ignorance and pettiness lead to other horrific and undeserved consequences. #nordic, #historicalfiction, #witches, #fourstarbookreview 02 Burial Rites ​ Burial Rites is a beautiful, haunting story inspired by the true events surrounding the last person put to death in Iceland, in 1829. Hannah Kent’s book explores the cold, brutal winter as convicted murderer Agnes awaits her execution at a remote farm, living with the family there. They are instructed by the authorities to take her in, but they aren’t happy about it. Agnes befriends a local priest who is sympathetic to her situation, and in time it becomes clear that Agnes and her circumstances are complicated. The landscape is vividly evoked, the characters feel faulted and real, and the story is compelling. I still think about this book from time to time, and I read it years ago. I thought Hannah Kent skillfully captured the setting, the accused's feelings of futility in fighting back, and the panicked realization of those surrounding her that the truth might upend the events already in motion. #nordic, #historicalfiction, #fourstarbookreview 03 The Half-Drowned King ​ The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker is the first in a completed trilogy of the same name that links historical fiction and fantasy and is set in Viking-era Norway. I gave this first book in the series three stars, which for me meant it had promise but didn't knock my socks off. I thought it lagged in the too-extensive discussion of military strategy and felt that the characters didn't always act in accordance with their personalities as they had been laid out by the author. But the detail in and the early thrills and chills of the story held so much promise, and the next two books show positive reader reviews, this series may be worth your while to try. I plan to give the next book, "The Sea Queen," a go. Side note: its cover is just as gorgeously striking as this one. #nordic, #Vikings, #series, #fantasyscifi 04 Norwegian by Night ​ Sheldon Horowitz is 82 and lives with his granddaughter her husband in Oslo. He witnesses a murder and snatches his young great-grandson to flee the police and the bad guys. Oh, how I loved Derek B. Miller's Norwegian by Night. I found myself reading it slowly so I could savor it. I only wished it were longer so I could spend more time in Sheldon's head and in his company. I adored it. There's an unusual mix of adventure and heartwarming self-examination in this debut. I’d forgotten that there was a second book in this series, American by Day, which I now recall that I very much want to read. #nordic, #heartwarming, #series, #fourstarbookreview 05 We, the Drowned ​ I own this book. Therefore I have not read it, despite wanting to, because I am a very greedy person who has too many books on her library hold list, too many prepublication books requested, and too many books she already owns languishing unread like this one. Ahem. The reason I own We, the Drowned is that it is described as “an epic drama of adventure, courage, ruthlessness, and passion by one of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed storytellers.” Carsten Jensen provides epic historical fiction also said to be humorous, and it includes Vikings, seafaring adventure, “nefarious company,” a town run by women, and “a mysterious shrunken head.” Plus, just look at the cover. #Vikings, #nordic, #historical fiction 06 Kristin Lavransdatter ​ I also own this book (this is actually #1-3 of the Kristin Lavransdatter series in one book). And I also have not yet read this book. But obviously we should all read it if we haven’t already, because: Sigrid Undset offers an epic story, first published in 1920, of historical fiction set in fourteenth-century Norway. This book clearly has staying power. The main protagonist Kristin is a headstrong woman, and she escapes a convent for love. Check. Finally, in this “masterwork” of "Norway's most beloved author,” Undset “immerses readers in the day-to-day life, social conventions, and political and religious undercurrents of the period.” I fully expect to adore this. #nordic, #series, #historicalfiction What are your favorite Nordic-set or -focused books? This category could include a lot of other titles. I think I would love the details of a Nordic setting in any genre.

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

her parents' accounts hold merit; and begins to wonder with horror whether she can trust even her own memories This book was also one of my Six Favorite Summer 2020 Reads. If you like mysteries, you might also like titles from the Greedy Reading Lists The Six Best Mysteries I Read Last Year and Six Historical Fiction Mysteries to Intrigue You.

Cook's voice shines through in this memoir of conversations with and deep inspiration around deceased Cook's zigzagging journey in this memoir was often tough to track; she leans into various avenues of I've read many memoirs, and Shut Up and Read  was unlike any I've encountered before. Please also check out these Bossy reviews of other books about books and memoirs you might enjoy.

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

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

Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family is the true story of a family with twelve children, six

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.

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.

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

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 .

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

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

In his memoir-in-essay-form Dirtbag, Massachusetts, Isaac Fitzgerald traces his life from his unlikely Ultimately the memoir as a whole felt somewhat chaotic and disconnected to me--dipping in and out of You might want to check out these other Bossy nonfiction favorites and memoir favorites.

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?

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.

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

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 .

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?

Two of these books also made it onto my Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes Greedy Reading List--along with

this was lovely. 05 Jackaby ​ Jackaby is the first in a young adult supernatural mystery series, with memorable

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

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

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

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

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

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!