Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt

What a beautiful book! It's hard to believe it's a debut novel - the octopus is so tenderly rendered that my heart broke for him. The other characters in the book are richly rendered and endearing. Highly recommend!
 
 

Weyward
by Emilia Hart

This was a powerful tale that spans centuries; it focuses on the women of the Weyward family, all of whom suffer abuse by men. It's brutal to read what they went through but I drew comfort from the women's inner strength, cunning and sense of purpose. I enjoyed reading about their bond with the natural world and their ability to use herbs to heal which, in ancient times, caused them to be labeled witches. I thought the book was well-written and engrossing.
 
 

Finding Dorothy
by Elizabeth Letts

This book tells the back story of how L. Frank Baum came up with the story “The Wizard of Oz.”
 
 

The Demon Of Unrest
by Erik Larson

Detailed story of the start of the Civil War. Larson examines all the back stories leading up to the firing on Fort Sumter and the beginning of the war.
 
 

The Frozen River: A Gma Book Club Pick
by Ariel Lawhon

A satisfying read about a midwife’s solving a murder. It was the perfect novel for a winter’s night!
 
 

Counting Miracles
by Nicholas Sparks

This was a quick read for me. Sparks kept up a brisk pace and created richly drawn characters who drew me in and made me eager to continue. I read the book quickly, eager to find out how it would all pan out; the ending was very satisfying.
 
 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
by James McBride

This book was super hard for me to get into - lots of characters that often confused me. But - the second half is truly beautiful and touching.
 
 

All Fours
by Miranda July

This was an interesting read - very different from most books I've read. But a super fun look into middle aged women.
 
 

True Colors
by Kristen Hannah

Kristen Hannah is great at evoking a strong sense of place and creating characters that have depth and dimension. This book was heart wrenching in its depiction of family relationships and how we can hurt others as we play out our own psychological dramas. The book also touches on deeply imbedded prejudices in society that directly affect some of the characters in the book. It was worth the read.
 
 

Conversations With Friends
by Sally Rooney

I loved this book! I really didn’t know what was going to happen at the end until it did! (Well I think it did!). Great interesting characters, wonderful writing that made me snicker and smile over and over again! Very very recommended for an exciting read of interesting deep characters that you care about very much.