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Such a Fun Age: A Novel

January 24, 2020

fun age

Emira Tucker is struggling with adulthood. She’s not quite sure what she wants to do. The only job she enjoys is babysitting two-year-old Briar. So, when Briar’s mother calls on a Saturday night asking if Emira can come and get the little girl she says yes. From there things in Such a Fun Age get bad fast. A store security guard decides that Emira has kidnapped Briar, because ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: contemporary life, debut, new adult, Putnam, racism

Nothing to See Here

January 20, 2020

nothing to see

Friday’s book review was a little dark so I’m starting the week with something much lighter. Not only did I never think I’d read a novel where children spontaneously combust, I definitely didn’t think I would chew through it one night and fall in love with it on page four. Which is to say, don’t underestimate Kevin Wilson’s ability to create improbable worlds and make them feel ... Read More...

8 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: contemporary life, ecco, family, humor, magical realism

Queenie: A Novel

January 15, 2020

queenie

Queenie is a 25-year-old British Jamaican woman who’s got her dream job and a strong circle of friends. She’s also separated from her white boyfriend, living in a tiny dump of an apartment with roommates she avoids, and is on the verge of losing her job because she spends so much time at the office dealing with her personal life. She’s the eponymous star of Candice ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: contemporary life, debut, new adult, Scout Press

Necessary People: A Novel

November 14, 2019

ten

It always seems as if being the friend of a really wealthy person would be fun—going expensive places, but never having to pay, exotic vacations, great gifts. But it never plays out that way in fiction. The last novel I read about a rich girl/poor girl friendship was Social Creature, which I disliked when its plot veered into the wildly implausible. So, I was hesitant to read ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: friendship, Little Brown and Company, new adult, New York City, wealth

Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

October 24, 2019

olive

On Monday I reviewed Olive Kitteridge in preparation for today’s review of Elizabeth Strout’s sequel, Olive, Again. I’ll start by saying these books stand alone. Olive is Olive is Olive. She’s a decade older, her relationship with her son is still virtually non-existent, but there’s a new man in her life. There’s also the tiniest flicker that age is taking the edge off some of ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: contemporary life, literary, New England, Random House

The Falconer: A Novel by Dana Czapnik

October 16, 2019

falconer

I loved this diamond bright, coming-of-age novel about a female athlete so much that when I saw it came out in paperback recently I had to share my thoughts with all of you again. If you haven't read it yet, you need to get it NOW.  On page two of The Falconer, when Lucy Adler says I met that basketball for the first time only thirty minutes ago but I already know I ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: coming-of-age, contemporary life, debut, Faber and Faber, literary, New York City

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