When I spotted a brand new Ruth Ozeki book in an adorable vacation town bookstore, you better believe this beautiful little collection came home with me that very day. A Tale For The Time Being (read review here) and The Book Of Form And Emptiness (read review here) are two of my favorite books of all time, so I was eager to see how Ozeki’s masterful fiction would translate to this shorter form. These thrilling short stories do not disappoint!
Allegra Goodman has been compared to a modern-day Jane Austen because of her skills observing and writing about people in such a genuine way that the reader connects with her characters as though she knows them. Witty yet poignant storylines strike a chord of recognition that draw us into her books.
I love finding random books from library displays, and The Lost Tarot fits that description perfectly. It was exhibited with other books that are set in Toronto, one of which, River Mumma, I reviewed last month. (read review here) The Lost Tarot really only begins with the protagonist in Toronto, and the story includes multiple time periods as well. And despite the word Tarot in the title, the book deals mainly with fine art and how we credit its creators, as well as how a cult is formed and what it takes to break free.
It’s been a while since I’ve indulged myself with a Chris Bohjalian novel. I’ve always found his books entertaining and fast-paced. So, I decided The Jackal’s Mistress was just what I needed at this point in August. And I was right!
Martin Marten contains one of the most unique ideas for a novel that I’ve ever encountered. And Brian Doyle writes it with wit and charm and empathy. I think I have my friend Ellen to thank for this recommendation and I am very appreciative. I absolutely loved every page of the book and will remember it forever.
Small Things Like These weighs in at 114 pages with a small trim size and not many words per page. But it strikes with a force unmatched by any book I have read in a very long time. Recognized by the New York Times as one of the top 100 books of the 21st century, Keegan has written a true tour de force.
As much as I follow lists and Bookstagram and listen to friends’ recommendations, I also love just picking up a random book that catches my eye in a display at my library. I found River Mumma amongst a shelf of books all set in Toronto. Both the cover and title drew me in, and the description tipped the book right into my bag. My instincts proved correct and I was rewarded with a charming and suspenseful story featuring a unique view of my city.
Although Buckeye was on many ‘favorites’ lists at the end of 2025, I feel like it is still somewhat flying under the radar. Many friends to whom I have mentioned it as a favorite in recent months have never heard of it. So let me be (perhaps) the first to tell you that this book is a sweeping, modern classic and not to be missed.
n the handful of books that seem to be everywhere at the moment, Belle Burden’s Strangers surely ranks in the top five. As often seems to happen, when I picked it up and started to read, the book was being discussed everywhere. In Strangers, Burden tells the stunning story of her 20-year marriage and how one morning early in the COVID-19 pandemic, her husband walked out and left her and their children forever.
If you are looking for a fast-paced, suspenseful, witty book for your first beach read of the summer, look no further. This Story Might Save Your Life engaged, delighted and surprised me while also making me laugh out loud. Crum provides many plot twists but I always felt certain she was headed for a satisfying ending when all was revealed.
Ever since reading Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and then Wicked by Gregory Maguire as a teenager, I’ve been obsessed with novels that reimagine fairytales. Typically, they blend historical fiction with a familiar plot and turn some element of the story on its head. So when Reece Witherspoon announced Lady Tremaine as her bookclub pick for March, I put it on hold at the library immediately. And, wow, this book was just the grown-up version of Cinderella I didn’t know I needed.
I’m not sure why, after having read James and being in awe of it, I didn’t immediately go back and explore Percival Everett’s extensive backlist of books. It took a friend whose opinion I value to encourage me to read The Trees, published in 2021. The Trees is like no other novel I have ever read.
I first encountered Zarna Garg on Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang, which if you want to spend an hour laughing with some of the funniest people in the world, I highly recommend. Garg was the opening act for Poehler and Tina Fey’s comedy tour, and she appeared on the podcast to promote this memoir.
Originally self-published and the author’s first novel, Theo of Golden piqued my interest before I’d even picked it up to read. I love a story about a breakthrough novel that gains its audience because so many friends recommend it to their friends that before you know it, it’s a bestseller.
With her book The Witch Elm, I have officially become a Tana French fan. Mysteries and murder mysteries aren’t usually my go-to genres for reading pleasure. But with major personal upheavals in my life in the past several weeks, The Witch Elm really grabbed—and kept—my attention from beginning to end.
I want to thank one of our most loyal L&L readers, Ellen, for recommending Awake. I hadn’t heard of Jen Hatmaker before reading this book, so it’s unlikely I would ever have picked it up on my own. I’m so glad that I read this captivating book.
I always feel funny reviewing a book long after it was popular but somehow I missed reading it until now. But I decided I needed to review The Song of Achilles in case any of you, like me, sometimes take a decade to read an award-winning book. I read Miller’s second book, Circe, much closer to its release and loved it, so I don’t know why I delayed so long reading The Song of Achilles. But I’m so glad I finally read it.
There are many reasons I almost decided not to review The New Menopause: (1) I come from a generation that believes polite people don’t talk about personal things like menopause. (2) I worried how our male readers would react. (3) I thought that even young women of my co-editor’s generation wouldn’t be interested in something which feels so far off in their future. But I decided in favor of writing the review because I learned more from this book than I have from any book I’ve read in a very long time.
I first heard about Say Nothing on Clint Smith’s Instagram. As the author of one of my all-time favorite works of non-fiction, How the Word is Passed (read review here), I took his recommendation to heart and am so glad.
I really don’t know why I’m so late to the party when it comes to reading Dennis Lehane’s novels. I knew he was a Boston author. Maybe I thought his books contained too much violence. Whatever the reason, I want to make sure our L&L readers don’t make the same mistake I did.
