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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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).

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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 .

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

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

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 .

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!

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 .

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,

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

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

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.

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.

The historical fiction-writing gift that is Philippa Gregory entertwines the richly imagined stories Philippa Gregory builds a richly imagined proposed story for Eleanor, although little is known of Eleanor's Most mentions of her, as with so many females in history, including medieval times, are focused upon Within the novel Gregory also entertwines the stories of two more women from history whose stories are

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

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

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 .

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

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

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived. In Saara El-Arifi's Cleopatra , the author tells from Cleopatra's point of view the story of the infamous and relationship with Caesar (and the partnership's political implications in the world), but by the time (When I was listening to the audiobook, the Italian accents for certain characters at times felt almost

"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.

Wrong Number, and other books I haven't yet read. 02 The Rule Book by Sarah Adams This love story about I adored the voices of the characters and witnessing their growth over the course of the story. This young adult story is sweet and fun; the pacing often feels somewhat slapstick and frantic--as is Ann Liang is also the author of the wonderful fake-dating young adult novel This Time It's Real, as well This Doesn't Find You. 06 Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Just for the Summer is another Jimenez story

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

Dream State felt like different genres in one book; what felt like a romance became a story of characters But Cece's time with Garrett begins to make her question her future with Charlie. The story and its characters are largely focused on a place (the Montana lake) that feels pivotal to so many aspects of their lives, then much later, and seemingly abruptly, the story is somewhat focused Finally, the story focuses on the fits and starts of a version of complicated forgiveness after years

, 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.

The Girl in the Tower and The Winter of the Witch are the others, and I think Arden's stories get even I wasn't initially sure I was going to be able to suspend my disbelief as I dove into the story, but I really liked this story and I still think about this book, years after reading it. Novik's story offers endless odd, lovely, unexpected, and complex elements. 04 The Golem and the Jinni We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through.

plan to enter into single parenthood despite the many practical challenges she faces; but the love story The first time she repeatedly found herself short on time so that she wouldn't be able to brush her teeth But the novel settled into a lovely set of back stories and a deliciously loving found-family situation And while the trajectory of the novel was evident, it was fun to watch the nontraditional love story You might also like the novels on the Greedy Reading Lists Six Lighter Fiction Stories Perfect for Summer

Kauffman's story about childhood friends brought together by a tragedy in their circle inspires each Kauffman deftly shapes what could have been a treacly story about old friends reliving the past and coming There were a few small moments that felt too easy and therefore took me out of the story. out: the friends' falling asleep in each others' arms at the lake house, which was mentioned multiple times But nitpicks aside, in this story about facing the past, forgiveness, and revisiting how shaped we can

, vulnerability, and hurt, then offers up faulted, broken, hopeful, impulsive characters who are at times wondrously stoic, and at other times act against their best interests, complicating everything and potentially is a study of an extreme, life-and-death-stakes fallout after heartbreaking tragedy, but it's also a story I read this immersive story in a flash.

but ultimately I was intrigued by the real-life basis of the Halifax Explosion and the intersecting stories I took a break (and apparently coped with my own jaded feelings) and tried again, the second time around appreciating the detail of Alward's intersecting stories. The accident in the story was based upon the real-life Halifax Explosion, in which a French cargo ship

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

Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope by José Andrés The World Central Kitchen Cookbook offers stories in late fall 2022 but wasn't on my radar last year, and I couldn't resist including it for the first time The Lost Kitchen was named one of TIME Magazine's World's Greatest Places and one of "12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience" by Bloomberg.

Then an Illum does the unthinkable: for the first time in decades, an Illum intends to take a Mate. (He shows up for the first time as the book begins, appearing in Emeline's underground workspace, the only person ever to do so, which seems oddly convenient for the story; he also seems to almost certainly Strict class division, segregation, selective breeding, and eugenics are at the heart of this story and overarching conflict, the feelings, and the motivations all felt too surface-level to achieve a cohesive story

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.

We meet two main protagonists: independent Birdie, who travels from her rural hometown to Oxford to beg

dream, a heartwarming tale, an intriguing mystery that ticked all of my boxes, a funny and poignant story I hope you've been able to take some time for yourself this holiday break and read some great books. In John Green's nonfiction book, he tells his story of befriending a young man, Henry, who was suffering There was the time he kidnapped a neighbor's pet goose, the time he accidentally aided and abetted a I loved this story.

neighborhood and its' Jewish and Black families' purposes and missions, which sometimes intersect and other times conflict, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. 01 Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle Every time Daphne Bell meets a potential love interest, she receives Their cultures conflict in some ways, but their stories and existences overlap, and their challenges I'm listening to The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store as an audiobook.

You could get a real job instead of this endless loop of make-believe, this merry-go-round of cover stories installment of Deanna Raybourn's Killers of a Certain Age series was a fun, darkly funny, feminist story It was the right book at the right time for me: entertainment in the perfect combination of action and And you know that every time you do, you've left another piece of you behind. But I'm one of those who are eager for more time with these clever, sometimes grumpy, often spontaneous

Trace Temple is a disillusioned, angry young man whose family lost its ranch after hard times. Blake includes wonderful scientific detail and details of life in that time. The sweet story offers poignancy, heart, and hope. The story would have stood on its own for me, but the references to the Cinderella story were a fun added I also love a story involving a character's mysterious past, and I love a suspenseful story that I'm