I just finished Our Country Friends, which I enjoyed. About a group of friends and acquaintances who gather at someone’s country house at the start of the pandemic.

On someone’s recommendation I read The Music of Bees, which I didn’t absolutely love, but if you are looking for a “nice” book, this is a good one.

For non fiction, loved JohnGreen’s Anthropocene Reviewed recently.

Can’t wait to read The Lincoln Highway and Oh William.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Rose Code, Kate Quinn

NP here. I’ll read anything she writes. Kate Quinn is amazing.

Did she write The Alice Network? Or am I thinking of someone else

Both were by Kate Quinn and really good.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is so so good. I also highly recommend her other books — Daisy Jones and the Six, and the The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

All good ones I read last yr:

Paper Palace
A Place For Us *top fave*
Hearts Invisible Furies
Little Secrets
The Girl with the Louding Voice
The Push
the Mountains Sing

Silerview -- last John LeCarre. So good. I will miss him.

I just read a very thin book called "Murderbot." I rarely read sci fi but when I do, I forget how could it can be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Rose Code, Kate Quinn

NP here. I’ll read anything she writes. Kate Quinn is amazing.

Did she write The Alice Network? Or am I thinking of someone else

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you read Pachinko? If not- start there. Soooooo good! (Epic family saga about Koreans in Japan)

The Secret Lives of Groceries and Gulp- two really funny and informative nonfiction books I recently enjoyed.

The Color of Water- memoir about a black man’s white, Jewish mother- race, identity, family. Loved this too.

The Cold Millions or Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Tell us some of your suggestions, too, OP! (I’d be your Goodreads friend! and I read a lot!)

I’m Constant Reader on Goodreads. Feel free to add me

Of your suggestions, I’ve only read Beautiful Ruins. Is Pachinko really sad?

Here are a few of my recent favorite novels:

The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon
Matrix by Lauren Groff
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Outlawed by Anna North

I haven’t read as much nonfiction recently. Can’t bear too much reality, I suppose.

NP here - I considered secret life of groceries a fun read - and enjoyed it! Did you read the Vanished Half if you liked The Mothers? It was really good. Also third Pachinko. Also adore The Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (she has a new one too, but I haven’t gotten to it); currently reading Hamnet which I’m enjoying thus far

Putting the groceries book on my list. The Vanishing Half is on reserve. Do you mean Transcendent Kingdom by Gyasi? It was very good, I thought. Recommend!

Anonymous wrote:I am reading Station Eleven - the book on which the series was based.

It’s on my list!

I am reading Station Eleven - the book on which the series was based.

Anonymous wrote:The Rose Code, Kate Quinn

NP here. I’ll read anything she writes. Kate Quinn is amazing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you read Pachinko? If not- start there. Soooooo good! (Epic family saga about Koreans in Japan)

The Secret Lives of Groceries and Gulp- two really funny and informative nonfiction books I recently enjoyed.

The Color of Water- memoir about a black man’s white, Jewish mother- race, identity, family. Loved this too.

The Cold Millions or Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Tell us some of your suggestions, too, OP! (I’d be your Goodreads friend! and I read a lot!)

I’m Constant Reader on Goodreads. Feel free to add me

Of your suggestions, I’ve only read Beautiful Ruins. Is Pachinko really sad?

Here are a few of my recent favorite novels:

The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon
Matrix by Lauren Groff
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Outlawed by Anna North

I haven’t read as much nonfiction recently. Can’t bear too much reality, I suppose.

NP here - I considered secret life of groceries a fun read - and enjoyed it! Did you read the Vanished Half if you liked The Mothers? It was really good. Also third Pachinko. Also adore The Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (she has a new one too, but I haven’t gotten to it); currently reading Hamnet which I’m enjoying thus far

The Rose Code, Kate Quinn

I am a voracious reader--I've always got an audio book going and read a regular book each week--sometimes more than one if I can't put it down.

Here's the thing: as a former literature and creative writing major, I have read a LOT of great works of literature and critically acclaimed materials. But right now, for me, I have ZERO time for that. I need things that are smart, well-written, and will keep me so engaged that I can't read the awful news in the world or get distracted by my disaster of a house.

After that preamble, my top picks of the past year include:

1) Matrix
2) The Radium Girls
3) The Whisper Network
4) Bad Muslim Discount and
5) 56 Days,
6) Girls with Bright Futures, and
7) Followers
8) The Thursday

My favorites on audio specifically:
1) Exit, by Belinda Bauer
2) Remain Silent, by Susie Steiner (third in a series with one of my favorite female detectives of all time)
3) Place of Execution by Val McDermid

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you read Pachinko? If not- start there. Soooooo good! (Epic family saga about Koreans in Japan)

The Secret Lives of Groceries and Gulp- two really funny and informative nonfiction books I recently enjoyed.

The Color of Water- memoir about a black man’s white, Jewish mother- race, identity, family. Loved this too.

The Cold Millions or Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Tell us some of your suggestions, too, OP! (I’d be your Goodreads friend! and I read a lot!)

I’m Constant Reader on Goodreads. Feel free to add me

Of your suggestions, I’ve only read Beautiful Ruins. Is Pachinko really sad?

Here are a few of my recent favorite novels:

The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon
Matrix by Lauren Groff
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Outlawed by Anna North

I haven’t read as much nonfiction recently. Can’t bear too much reality, I suppose.

No Pachinko isn’t sad, and thanks for your suggestions!

I’ll find you on Goodreads!

I also enjoyed The Matrix and The Cold Millions. I liked the story of Pachinko, but hated the writing style.