Shiner, by Amy Jo Burns, is written in a lovely, lyrical style that reads like magical realism at many points. But gritty topics circling gender roles, poverty, loyalty, and faith root this book – set on an isolated Appalachian mountain – in the very real world.
Defy the Night, by Brigid Kemmerer, was earnest and achy in all the right ways for me, especially since it didn’t devolve into melodrama; Kemmerer kept the balance just right. There are lies and complexities, but the reader is trusted to understand how and why they happen.
Fredrick Backman’s Anxious People is every bit as good as people say it is. Though I confess, it took me three different readings to get past page 30, and I can understand how this might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The cover of Bonnie Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry makes it look like chic-lit, and some blurbs call the book “laugh-out-loud funny.” But in my opinion, it’s neither of those things. This robust, well-written book IS incredibly quirky, thought-provoking, and a round, deep, fulfilling journey.
Haunting and heartwarming, airy but earnest, Sarah Addison Allen’s Other Birds felt like a delicious hug of a book. If you’re familiar with magical realism, you’ll understand that you have to give yourself over to the quirks, and you’ll be surprisingly satisfied, though not everything will be explained.
BOOK:30 