Search Results

protagonists must confront and overcome past and present difficulties in order to banter their way through the story one night after a concert, when she was shoeless and in need of a ride home: she chose joking, fun-time-guy Early in this story she had already explored money troubles, death and grief, identity theft and financial I did at times very much feel as though Chris was going too far, taking measures Larissa wasn't asking Larissa is irresistible, and Jimenez takes what feels like an impossibility of a future and ekes out a story

Strout also wrote the wonderful interconnected short story collection Anything Is Possible. The details of running the Canadian river, traveling and camping, and Jack and Wynn's friendship itself Heller also wrote the wonderful dystopian story The Dog Stars, as well as The Painter. I was most struck by the character-driven WWII stories, which were haunting and lovely. This story was so much more than I expected, but thankfully Napolitano didn’t rely solely on her book

In Heart, Be at Peace , Donal Ryan shares the story of a small town in Ireland. The story is told from 21 interconnected points of view, and I had trouble differentiating between the characters and their voices from time to time. More Donal Ryan and Irish Stories Donal Ryan is also the author of The Queen of Dirt Island ,  The Spinning

Cloud Cuckoo Land to Doerr's beloved and quite different book All the Light We Cannot See, and the stories 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 for what is sure to be contagious fascination. 05 These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett “Any story Dutch House, Bel Canto, The Patron Saint of Liars, Commonwealth, The Magician's Assistant, This Is the Story

Mercy. 03 The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre ​ The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War is a wonderfully paced and skillfully recounted Cold War-era story of spy intrigue, Farrow also explores the difficulty the long-silenced victims have in bravely deciding to tell their stories Valley Road by Robert Kolker ​ Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family is the true story It’s absolutely meticulously researched and riveting.

I bought O Caledonia  at Powell's Books the last time I visited my best friend in Oregon and am finally Boarding school leads to further ostracization and irritating demands upon Janet's time, when she'd prefer darkly funny, with a surprisingly startling and tragic setup for O Caledonia 's immersive, atmospheric story the stage for (and close the loop on) a character's demise distracting, but I was captivated by the story More Gothic Tales For Bossy reviews of other Gothic stories, please check out the titles at this link

They spent their days walking by the river, and to keep Flora entertained and distracted, Hazel made up elaborate stories about a magical, secret world alongside the water. Sutanto Vera Wong is running a largely unvisited tea house, lamenting her grown son's lack of time for Focusing on respect, love, and closure, MacNaughton offers a guide to creating a path through the precious time

The Books I'm Reading Now It's Green Books time! grown-up magical school tale, The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones; I'm listening to Jessica Guerrieri's story the midst of a local woman's disappearance, Both Things Can Be True; and I'm reading Marjan Kamali's story Only time will tell whether the crisis will usher in a new era of honesty and support.

I love Aaron Falk stories and I loved the twisty interconnectedness of the characters in Exiles . I wasn't ever sure who was responsible for the multiple tragedies at the heart of the story, and the I'm in for all Jane Harper and all Aaron Falk stories! The tone of the story is shaped by its setting: an unforgiving winter on an Australian island. connected across time.

There are a few indications of the time period ( Lawrence of Arabia is showing at the movie theater, and Elvis Presley is referenced), but the story feels largely to exist outside of time. This slim story (the book is 176 pages) is eerie and unforgettable.

When a pregnant, storied Queen Joanna arrives in Avignon to stand trial for the murder of her husband Eleanore's sudden access to great figures is overly convenient, but this moves the story along nicely plague, and the city of Avignon feels evident, and I particularly enjoyed the details that made the time The religious fervor, fears, and the queasily specific medical practices of the time (lancing buboes! help the story come alive.

Count me in for Irish-set novels--and for suspenseful, mysterious-past stories that hint at darkness, But Hurtubise builds the true heart of this story around the development of its characters and relationships I also love a story involving a character's mysterious past, and I love a suspenseful story that I'm I blew through this novel, and the whole time I was reading Saoirse , I held my breath that it would And don't miss these stories filled with suspense and stories about art .

In Let Us Descend , she leans on the stories of her warrior female ancestors as she draws increasing Annis leans on the comfort of the presence of this fierce spirit during grim or terrifying times, but The horrifying, specific, dark cruelties throughout the story, which are inflicted upon Black people In order to see the story through, I kept reminding myself that I was bearing witness to a fictional You can find other Bossy reviews of books that tell the stories of enslaved persons here .

science fiction is full of heart, heartbreak, and hope--set against a fascinating backdrop of space travel Chambers's story is science fiction that's full of heart, heartbreak, and hope. The book feels much more focused on the characters--with a backdrop of space travel and otherworldly Much of the story is about acceptance and openness and finding ways to get along. The present-day story alternates with peeks back in time to life before this space mission, which show

Science and Nature Book Gift Ideas I spend most of my reading time on fiction titles, but my favorite stock. 01 To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery by Neil deGrasse Tyson Once upon a time Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon by Melissa L. , recognized as the most dangerous river in the world. I love a story about strong women in the past braving the wild.

author says, in what feels like an accurate reflection of his book: “...I saw an opportunity to tell a story Mercy. 03 The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War is a wonderfully paced and skillfully recounted Cold War-era story of spy intrigue, Valley Road by Robert Kolker Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family is the true story Thinking back on it, I was probably loopy on that front, but regardless, it is riveting reading.

What a satisfyingly rich world and story. , and A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories . a smart, intriguing, twisty story that plays with time and offers second chances, revelations, betrayals with time. The story begins with a mother awaiting her teenage son's return home late one night.

claim to the Tichborne family fortune, insisting that he was a long-lost noble son much changed by his time Her voice and point of view are sometimes testy, often incisive, and at other times diminished--a product of the limitations of single women in that time. In the story, much of the populace lines up with the pretend heir, against all known facts and likelihood , as well as essays and short stories.

The story is sometimes funny, and it's consistently suspenseful and character-driven. This story felt smart, strange, and intriguing. I can't wait to read more books by this author. of the limitations of single women in that time. , as well as essays and short stories. For more family stories you might like, please check out the Bossy reviews at this link .

I liked the unlikely modern-day friendship and depth of connection, and I love a best-friend story, but book club dug into his novel Beartown --and there was a dramatic split between those who loved that story The book repeatedly tracks back in time to that summer that changed everything, and it alternates peeks At the center of the story is a work of art, and in repeated trips back in time, we see the friends' More Stories about Best Friends You might want to check out these other Bossy reviews of stories about

When the trip involves mishap after mishap, the travelers begin to wonder whether the legend of the treasure surprises didn't always feel as though they followed logical paths, I appreciated the mystery-lite story

limits, and storytelling through song; The Last Green Valley, historical fiction based on the real story Chambers's story is science fiction that's full of heart, heartbreak, and hope. The book feels much more focused on the characters--with a backdrop of space travel and otherworldly Much of the story is about acceptance and openness and finding ways to get along. In the nine essays and short stories that make up Festival Days, the fantastic Jo Ann Beard explores

The appealingly playful love story incorporates issues of body image, job insecurity, and past tragedy The banter made me laugh at times, and I bought the attraction between Katie and Hutch, as well as the Supporting characters are great, colorful, and add nice layers of interconnectedness to the story. not swimming is easily resolved (in convenient fashion, so that the two main protagonists can spend time The famous ex fades away as an issue as the story goes on.

Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through.

The marching toward destruction of both of these makes for a nerve-racking, heartbreaking story. 's final section held surprises I did not anticipate, and their exposure colors the entirety of the story Four people are connected across time and geography in Richard Powers's sweeping story of their lives Each of the main characters drives the story in a different way, and I was invested in the struggles within a story and the punch that was packed in its reveal.

"I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so He offers sometimes wild stories of following various whims and passions and desires, all with a constant He shares notable moments from his travels; industry stories; and family tales. It’s up to us, our choice every time.” Rather than struggle against time and waste it, let’s dance with time and redeem it.

the interconnectedness of grief, love, community, and nature in this heartwarming literary fiction story The fig tree shares the story of the young lovers and while exploring the conflicts between Turkish and stranger of an aunt emerges, and with her, the possibility of filling in missing pages of Ada's parents' story Elif Shafak is also the author of There Are Rivers in the Sky, Three Daughters of Eve, The Forty Rules

These Bossy favorites from a summer past stand the test of time. And soon I'll post another set of Bossy romantic favorites, this time titles that were published this the Past Year Six More of My Favorite Light Fiction Reads of the Past Year Six Great Light Fiction Stories Perfect for Summer Reading Six More Great Light Fiction Stories Six of My Favorite Rom-Com Reads of The True Love Experiment is Fizzy's story.

mother's death, the narrator of The Hero of This Book faces the sale of the family home in New England and travels mother to slip away without documentation--while acknowledging that she couldn't possibly tell the full story I mentioned one of McCracken's short story collections, Thunderstruck & Other Stories, in the Greedy Reading List Six Short Story Collections to Wow You.

I felt that knowing the story of the nonspeaking author of this novel added significant depth and poignancy to this big-hearted, heartbreaking story of the clients and staff of an adult daycare center, their personal stories, and their inner lives. communication, which the author well knows can be a fraught, necessarily inventive and flexible, complex, time-consuming Brown's personal experiences lend legitimacy and particular poignancy to the protagonists' stories and

mystery series with a feminist heroine; a great lakeside summertime romance; a 1980s-set astronaut story by Taylor Jenkins Reid I love an astronaut story, and while Reid spent far more page time on relationships This was exactly the right story for me at the right time, and I hugged it to my chest when I finished I enjoyed spending time in each time period. place and time with rich details.

Early in the story we learn about Bev and Trudy's longtime and somewhat surreptitious love. The story progresses to focus on Nate and his troubles, as well as the middle-aged men of the story and Shannon Bowring is also the author of Where the Forest Meets the River (Dalton, Maine #2).

fiction debut offers action and a risky space quest, revenge, and love, but it's also a poignant, lovely story Masks bestow upon the wearers the instincts, abilities, and reaction times of the animals after which I can't wait to read more of this immersive world and of Haddon's compelling story. I love a story about a ragtag crew on a quest (you can check out other titles with this theme that I've

Claire Lynch's novel shapes two timelines separated by decades into an engrossing, complicated family story She is a young mother who had met a nice guy and followed the prescribed steps of the time: marriage, I read this engrossing family story in a day and can't wait to read future fiction by Claire Lynch. More about Claire Lynch and Family Stories Claire Lynch is also the author of Irish Autobiography and For more family stories I've loved, check out the books at this link .

Blackbird, One for the Crow, which I mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Great Historical Fiction Stories scheduled for publication tomorrow. 02 The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins Emi Vargas is, frankly, tired Larch journey from Greenland to a futuristic, postapocalyptic New York City, ravaged by flooding and storms for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make by Ron Lieber Ron Lieber, the New York Times between students and faculty; how much energy and money is spent on showy attention-getters like lazy rivers

I love love love a summer-camp story, and I loved The God of the Woods . The Van Lears' story draws in many of those who orbit around them; it's full of tragedy upon tragedy, Liz Moore is also the author of Long Bright River  as well as Heft and The Unseen World .

considerable talent for bringing history to life by tackling the McCarthy era--in what feels like a very timely Quinn's historical fiction offers the stories of multiple women in a females-only Washington, D.C. boardinghouse lay claim to the Tichborne family fortune, insisting that he was a long-lost son much changed by his time Smith is also the author of the novels White Teeth , The Autograph Man , On Beauty , NW , and Swing Time , as well as essays and short stories. 03 The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman My sister-in-law

But when a stranger who calls himself Rube shows up in a rented PT Cruiser and a story about how Mad Gonna Be Mine , The Family Fang, Perfect Little World , and Tunneling to the Center of the Earth: Stories 04 Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart Gary Shteyngart's story of an uncommonly intelligent fifth-grader I read this engrossing family story in a day and can't wait to read future fiction by Claire Lynch. For more family stories I've loved, check out the books at this link .

Skyhunters duology; and I'm listening to State of Terror, Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny's collaborative story Wingwalkers (to be published tomorrow), a former World War II ace pilot and his daring wingwalking wife travel Depression-era America, wowing audiences and inspiring hope in a dark, sober time. and Fallen Land, a title I loved and included in the Greedy Reading List Six Great Historical Fiction Stories

01 Burn by Peter Heller Jess and Storey are childhood friends who spend their summer adventures exploring Maine, like other states across the country, has been swept by a secession movement, but Jess and Storey Heller is also the author of The Last Ranger , The Guide , The River , and The Painter , as well as the The story includes a cameo by Olive Kitteridge!

unforgettable end), while interspersing scenes from the past, including Nina's parents' tangled love story , Nina's youth, her famous surfer/photographer siblings' stories, and others. Reid is the author of Daisy Jones & the Six, a book I included in the Greedy Reading List Six Rockin' Stories in the wilderness and rugged terrain of British Columbia, along a highway where unsuspecting women traveling alone go missing from time to time--yet a predator never seems to be brought to justice.

They are not allowed to touch each other but may speak, and to bond and pass the time, they share stories infinitesimal variations in how they may prepare their food or sew their own clothing, and simply kill time For more postapocalyptic and dystopian stories I've Bossily reviewed, please check out the titles here

Bossy Favorites of the Month I had a solid reading month, including a five-star read by one of my all-time Cal's father John is emotionally closed-off and is at times physically abusive. It's a story of chosen family, a chance reunion, illuminating and poignant revelations about the past The structure of the story is wonderful, tracking back in time to Daphne's childhood and the pivotal Ann Patchett is also the author of Tom Lake, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, State of Wonder,

with disabilities from a nonspeaking author; a creative fantasy novel that's a book within a book; a story The tone of this one let me know that the story might be messy, and it might not turn out satisfactorily of the clients and staff of an adult daycare center, their personal stories, and their inner lives. The sweet story offers poignancy, heart, and hope. I love a retired detective story, an Irish setting, and a Tana French book.

, Laurie Lico Albanese's reimagining of the character of Hester Prynne and the inspiration for her story mother's death, the narrator of The Hero of This Book faces the sale of the family home in New England and travels I mentioned one of McCracken's short story collections, Thunderstruck & Other Stories, in the Greedy Reading List Six Short Story Collections to Wow You. 02 A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk and Robot #1 and Six More Wonderfully Witchy Stories to Charm You.

But the world of the story is grounded in day-to-day stressors and challenges. The surrounding community is so essential to the novel, the story is told in an omniscient point of view The story is a fascinating study of relationships, with heartwarming moments and heartbreaking developments Brendan is not the main protagonist, despite the novel's title, yet he is central to the story in that More Irish Story Adoration For more Bossy novels set in Ireland, please check out the books at this link

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm listening to Tasha Suri's rich story-within-a-story fantasy novel The Isle my recent mystery mania by listening to the trusty, twisty Lisa Jewell's intriguing interconnected-story 01 The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri In an alternate England, an island lives on stories. -and it goes well beyond their roles in the story scripted for them. Nina's young-adult daughter Ash thinks Nick might be too smooth, and the timing of his entrance into

Her story is compelling and intriguing--whether or not you're familiar with her or her indie band Japanese She can travel through the multiverse, but only to worlds where another version of herself no longer The story is steamy and romantic at times without being dramatic. , and everything else in this epic story. man working in a warehouse in the seaside town where she's staying temporarily, she invites Felix to travel

Gary Shteyngart's story of an uncommonly intelligent fifth-grader, Vera, allows for a precocious child's family lives in New York City, and Vera's parents, Anne Mom (her stepmother, a stay-at-home-mom at times The story is placed sometime in the future, with a self-driving car, Stella, who speaks to the family But these elements are in the background; the real story is Vera's finding her way while feeling lost Shteyngart is also the author of The Russian Debutante's Handbook , Absurdistan , Super Sad True Love Story

so: worth it) and gets grounded, she suddenly has to spend afternoons working at her father's game store This was a sweet world that I loved spending time in, and the fact that absolutely everything works out For more Bossy reviews of rom-com stories I've loved, please check out the titles at this link .