1. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction) - Despite being 450 pages, this was a quick read. I read The Grapes of Wrath in high school, but I found myself more invested in this story about the same period in history. It was so sad to see what people from this time period went through. So many people lost everything in the Dust Bowl and struggled to find a living wage and feed their families. Many went west to California, and there were so many parts in this book that angered me to see how those in California treated the people that they called "Okies." They looked down on them for being poor and struggling. I loved Elsa and her complex relationship with her daughter Loreda. The story was powerful and moving, and the end was heartbreaking. So far, this is my second favorite Kristin Hannah book, with Firefly Lane edging it out for first place, since I generally prefer contemporary to historical.
2. In a Book Club Far Away by Tif Marcelo (Contemporary Fiction) - This book was a sweet, fast read about friendship and family. I enjoyed the story of the friendship (as complicated as it was) between these three military wives. They definitely had their share of drama, and I think blame was definitely misplaced in the misunderstanding that had ruined the friendship between Sophie and Regina. I think a lot of the problems could have been resolved with better communication, but I still enjoyed the story and relationships a lot. This book dealt with some serious issues, while also being a fun and heartwarming read.
3. We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (Mystery) - This was a slow burn mystery that focused deeply on the characters and their complex relationships. There were several twists that I definitely did not see coming. I felt sad for Duchess and Robin, two kids dealt a tough hand in life. I especially felt sad for Duchess having to be so grown up at only 13, and not getting to be a kid. She deeply cared about her brother and just wanted to protect him. Walk, the other main character, was a police chief who had been best friends with Vincent King when they were children. King had spent 30 years in prison. He believed strongly in Vincent's innocence in the present and would do what it took to protect him in trial. This was a powerful story, sad at many turns throughout.
4. You Have a Match by Emma Lord (YA Contemporary Fiction) - This was a cute and quick read with some heavier topics as well. The book reminded me a bit of The Names They Gave Us (which I love), and interestingly enough, the authors have very similar names (Emery Lord/Emma Lord). This book was a bit lighter though, but they both took place at a summer camp, focused heavily on friendships, and dealt with some family secrets. My favorite part of the book was the budding friendship between Abby and Savvy as they dealt with the fact that they were sisters who had not known each other previously. There is a romance in the book, but it is background to the rest of the plot. I liked this story a lot. It was sweet and fun.
5. What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster (Literary Fiction) - I really liked this book at the beginning and through about halfway through, and then I feel like it took too many tangents from the storylines that I was most invested in and took me longer to read. I was interested in Noelle and Gee's storylines the most, as well as some of their family history. This book deals with a lot of tough topics, and I think there are a lot of worthy parts of it. It was just not a favorite personally. I will still recommend checking it out if the description sounds interesting. I also will say that I really did not like Lacey May and her attitudes at the school, though I was glad she at least underwent some growth.
6. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen (Memoir) - This memoir was not one that I personally was a fan of, though I know many people like it, based on the reviews. I read the whole thing because it was pretty short, and there were some interesting parts. As a whole, though, in a memoir, I like to feel emotionally connected to the author and this book gave me a level of emotional detachment. I felt like the story was holding me at arms-length from really being connected. I imagine this memoir would be more impactful for someone with similar experiences to Kaysen.
7. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (Historical Fiction) - This book was overall good, though I was most invested up until the Rivington Showcase, since I knew something big happened there. I also was invested in the ending. I preferred the parts written in standard format, because I feel that the parts written as an oral history held me at more of an emotional distance from the characters because it was them telling Sunny what had happened, rather than the author putting me in Opal's head and feeling what she felt. I think this was mostly Opal's story, and she was a strong character. Sunny was also a well-developed character, not just a device for the story to take place through, which was good. Overall, I enjoyed this story, and it dealt with a lot of serious themes and topics.
8. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (Literary Fiction) - This was a moving story that read quickly with sparse yet beautiful writing. The story seamlessly weaves between characters and timelines giving us the stories of several generations in one family. This was not a happy story, but was a strong, powerful, and well-written one. I felt for the various characters and their struggles. I think this is one that would be worthy of a reread later with full knowledge of how the book unfolded.
