Harry’s Trees is a treasure of a novel about overcoming grief and figuring out how to keep moving forward. It’s so good I’ve added it to my top 10 favorite books list (which exists only in my head). Continue reading
Category Archives: Contemporary Fiction
Book Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the story of Addie, who has lived 300 years because she sold her soul to the devil in exchange for freedom and more time. An unexpected part of the deal is that no one, not even her parents, remember Addie, leaving her to grapple with the curse of not being able to leave her mark on the world. Continue reading
Book Review: The Girl in Green by Derek B. Miller
In The Girl in Green, an American soldier and a British journalist try to save an Iraqi girl from violence in the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm. Over twenty years later, they reunite in Iraq after seeing the girl’s doppelganger on some news footage. The Girl in Green is a sharp-witted commentary on the absurdity and futility of conditions in the war-torn Middle East. Continue reading
Book Review: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library is a life-affirming science fiction novel that follows Nora Seed as she lives a multitude of alternate lives while in her “root” life she hovers between life and death following a suicide attempt. Continue reading
Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus is a terrific fantasy novel about a beautiful and mysterious circus and two star-crossed magicians who are locked in a battle of illusions that can only end when one of them dies. Lush and imaginative, I found myself thinking several times that this is the type of novel I would like to write. Continue reading
Book Review: The Round House by Louise Erdrich
The Round House is a powerful exploration of the impact of rape on a family, focusing closely on how a teenage boy deals with the trauma and the helplessness of not being able to bring the rapist to justice. It’s set on an Indian reservation and casts some needed light on cultural and legal complexities of convicting non-Indians of crimes committed on reservations. Continue reading
Book Review: American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
American Dirt is a gripping novel about a woman and her son who have to flee Mexico and migrate to the US in order to escape a violent drug cartel. It’s a sympathetic and suspenseful take on one of today’s biggest political topics – illegal border crossings. Continue reading
Book Review: Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
Dear Committee Members is a clever epistolary novel mainly composed of letters of recommendation written by Jay Fitger, a cynical creative writing professor at Payne University, located somewhere in Minnesota. The letters are mostly hilarious and reveal a lot about Fitger, academia, and the practically of an English degree. Continue reading
Book Review: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
Evvie Drake Starts Over is about a young widow who’s stuck in one of those places in life that can be hard to get out of. I would say this book is mostly a romance, but it also has strong themes of friendship, family, and breaking free of what’s holding you back to finally move forward. Continue reading
Book Review: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge is a Pulitzer Prize winner that tells the story of an aging retired school teacher through a series of short stories, many of which just mention Olive in passing. It’s an unusual approach to character development that kind of worked for me and kind of didn’t. Continue reading
