Well, friends, I meant to post some of these in August and then some others at the beginning of September. Better late than never!
My favorites of these are definitely The Vanishing Half and Nickel Boys. Nickel boys came out a year or two ago and if you missed it you should look into getting it. These two both have gotten so much buzz I don’t feel the need to sum them up. The second is pretty dark, deals with abuse and some other not pleasant things so be warned! Worth it! but heavy.
Second-tier favorites are Northernmost, Friends and Strangers and If I Had Your Face. They’re totally different and pretty similar all at once. Each takes place in a different time and place (late 1800s Norway, modern day upstate NY, Seoul), but each is a slow character novel driven by relationships (martial, professional, friendship). I love books like this, but sometimes find myself noticing that the plot is fairly……..slow.
I also read a series of thriller-type books this fall, trying to combat the slump I’ve been slipping into. Invisible Girl, Sometimes I Lie, Sisters and Luster all fall into this category. Lisa Jewell’s Invisible Girl is probably my favorite of the bunch – she has this amazing ability to take ordinary every day life and turn it into a real nail-biter.
Hopefully I’ll have a new batch to post soon! And in a more timely manner!