Recommend a Book You've Read Recently and Enjoyed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I love the types of books on this thread. One that I'll throw out to you all is "The Heart's Invisible Furies." It's modern Irish history through the eyes of a quirky kid growing up gay.

Loved, loved this book.

[Anonymous]

Lessons in Chemistry was on the best books I've ever read, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. She has another book, The Huntress, that is in my queue but haven’t read yet.

The Rose Code is even better than these other two.

Agree!

[Anonymous]

OP--have you read The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker? I have a penchant for feminist thrillers, and I loved it. Her second one (The Husbands) wasn't quite as good, but still a fun read.

I also sped through Counterfeit, about a Chinese American woman who gets sucked into the counterfeit trade in high end purses/bags. Light, but fun.

Others:

Janelle Brown's I'll Be You about a pair of identical twins who become tween stars.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It (and the sequel) are both hilarious--about a single mom who accidentally becomes a hit woman.

Real Easy by Marie Rutkowski: set among dancers/sex workers, a great pro-woman mystery.

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard -- two people thrown together at the beginning of the pandemic in Dublin--but each has a secret history that comes out over the course of the book.

Girls with Bright Futures--a quick and often funny mystery about cutthroat competition in the college application process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Guest List by Lucy Foley was a good little thriller. It’s about a murder at a weekend wedding reception. Set in Ireland.

Loved this one, too!

[Anonymous]

Just popping on here to say that I picked up The Dearly Beloved after seeing it recommended here. I'm only halfway through, but I love it! It's thoughtful and moving without being overly heavy.

I didn't think I'd enjoy this book when I read the blurb, but I took the chance based on the recs here, and I'm so glad I did! Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Palace Papers by Tina Brown. Interesting read even if you’re not that into the British Royal family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Guest List by Lucy Foley was a good little thriller. It’s about a murder at a weekend wedding reception. Set in Ireland.

Loved this one, too!

Listened to this on audible! Really fun.

[Anonymous]

Recently read and enjoyed:

Dream Girl by Laura Lippman (will read anything she writes)
Watch Out for Her by Samantha Bailey
I Don't Forgive You by Aggie Blum Thompson (local writer)
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth
Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heany (local writer)
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP--have you read The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker? I have a penchant for feminist thrillers, and I loved it. Her second one (The Husbands) wasn't quite as good, but still a fun read.

OP here. Yes! I liked it A LOT. Along those lines, I also liked The Herd, by Andrea Bartz and The Boys Club, by Erica Katz (extra fun if you have any connection to BigLaw . . . . )

Thanks for your other recommendations, too! Sounds like we have very similar taste. Have you tried Admission, by Jean Hanff Korelitz and The Wonder Test, by Michelle Richmond? Both touch on out of control academic competition, but in completely different ways. I liked both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP--have you read The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker? I have a penchant for feminist thrillers, and I loved it. Her second one (The Husbands) wasn't quite as good, but still a fun read.

I also sped through Counterfeit, about a Chinese American woman who gets sucked into the counterfeit trade in high end purses/bags. Light, but fun.

Others:

Janelle Brown's I'll Be You about a pair of identical twins who become tween stars.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It (and the sequel) are both hilarious--about a single mom who accidentally becomes a hit woman.

Real Easy by Marie Rutkowski: set among dancers/sex workers, a great pro-woman mystery.

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard -- two people thrown together at the beginning of the pandemic in Dublin--but each has a secret history that comes out over the course of the book.

Girls with Bright Futures--a quick and often funny mystery about cutthroat competition in the college application process

Not OP, but I enjoyed Girls with Bright Futures and just read Counterfeit. I got super sucked in and thought it lost some steam by the end but definitely one of those you can finish in a weekend books. I will check out these others!

[Anonymous]

Currently reading This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub. I like it.

Straub uses time travel as a hook for the main character to revisit some earlier life decisions, but it's not actually sci-fi or overdone on the time-hopping front. (I didn't like Oona Out of Order for that reason. Too much / not done well, IMHO.)

[Anonymous]

The Island by Adrian McKinty is a good quick thriller/action book. It was released in May and has already been picked up by Netflix. It will make a good movie/mini series.

[Anonymous]

The Very Nice Box is great (local author!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub. I like it.

Straub uses time travel as a hook for the main character to revisit some earlier life decisions, but it's not actually sci-fi or overdone on the time-hopping front. (I didn't like Oona Out of Order for that reason. Too much / not done well, IMHO.)

I just finished this one and loved it. Her best book yet IMO. I’d also add that it has a very strong father daughter relationship component/aging for those interested.