For Readers: Gina

Each of the stories told are these raw human stories and all of them were so compelling and vividly painted that I was fully immersed. In general, this follows main character Cyrus who has struggled heavily with addiction and is now sober. Cyrus is a poet and has recently become interested in the idea of martyrs (people who give life meaning through death—dying to make things better). We hear from Cyrus in the modern day and then get POVs from Cyrus’s father, mother, and uncle in the past. There are some reveals towards the end that make it clear why the perspectives of Cyrus’s family are included but I did struggle with the constant shifting of perspectives. There are also some chapters that are Cyrus’s dreams. The prose is perfect—it’s beautiful (you can tell the author is a poet) but also not over done.

A retelling of Huck Finn from the perspective of the enslaved Jim, this is an adventure story at its core but also manages to be both moving and insightful. A good portion of the book is the same story, but made more fascinating by being from Jim’s (James's) perspective and there is a lot of new content as Everett accounts for what happened to Jim when Jim and Huck were separated. The ending does venture into some new plot and I couldn’t read fast enough because of the tension. Even if you know the story of Huck Finn well, this book still feels fresh and fast paced. Particularly interesting is the focus on language and dialect; Jim speaks in a dialect around white people but speaks in a very elevated intellectual way around non-whites.

I loved the prose in Mellors’ previous novel, Cleopatra and Frankenstein, but I remember wanting a tighter focus on a few characters. This was exactly what I was hoping for; the prose is exquisite and all of the sister narrators are well-developed. This follows three sisters (Avery, Lucky, and Bonnie) as they navigate through losing their sweet sister Nicky and each dealing with their own life struggles. That set-up has a Little Women vibe but the story is unique and full of emotion.

The main character of this short little book is a 19 year old girl who becomes pregnant and decides to keep the baby, mainly because both her lover (her married professor) and mother urge her to get an abortion. She is steadfast in her decision until she actually has the baby and has to stay up all night with him as he screams, to the dismay of her college-aged roommates who have finals to study for. A friend suggests she try to make money on Only Fans and Margo starts uploading pictures and videos. With some help from her father and friends she starts gaining fame and popularity online. I loved the light breezy tone of the book and the look at monetizing social media. Also, the audiobook is read by Elle Fanning and she does an excellent job; I smiled to myself so many times while listening to this.

Set in Poland in the early 20th century this follows a student, Wojnicz, who suffers from tuberculosis. He travels to a health resort that promises to cure residents with lots of fresh mountain air, daily walks, cold baths, and a diet featuring lots of meat and cheese. The first half of the book reminded me a little of the classic Dracula, with the remote and eerie setting, its promise of hidden dangers (one man from the sanatorium seems to die under mysterious circumstances each year), and lots of philosophical conversations. Even though the middle of the novel feels a bit slow, you will be rewarded by a really bonkers ending.

The first story in this novel of interconnected stories (really it’s just a novel in four parts) immediately grabbed me; a couple named Annie and Edward downsize to a small apartment with their daughter Rose. They invite a friend named Stephanie over for dinner and when she opens the closet door a terrace that wasn’t there before appears! They soon figure out it only appears when Stephanie opens the door and invite her over all the time, which leads to some life changing consequences for all. The writing is so realistic and emotionally focused that you totally forget that you are reading an almost surreal and magical (sci-fi at times) tale about a terrace that appears out of nowhere. I think if you were intrigued by The Midnight Library but wanted it to be way less saccharine this would be a good read. I found the way things tied together at the end very intriguing but also heartbreaking; I'm still thinking about this book months after I read it.