best books of the year (so far): fiction picks

it's been a long time since I've done a reading recap, and there are several books I just have to share! with a new baby in the house, I've been doing a lot more Kindle reading (almost exclusively on the app on my phone since that's easy to hold while feeding a baby), with several print books in the rotation too. 

Britt-Marie Was Here, by Fredrik Backman. one of my absolute favourite authors, Backman could write a shopping list and I would gleefully read every word. reading his books is like slipping on a pair of glasses that lets you see the world through the eyes of a person who is perpetually misunderstood, or simply overlooked. fair warning to have tissues ready for the last few chapters. (on a related note, A Man Called Otto, based on A Man Called Ove, is one of the few book-to-movie adaptations that holds up well, and it's available on Netflix now!)

Magpie Murders, by Susan Horowitz. I'm not a big mystery reader but this book-within-a-book kept me engaged to the last page. the premise is intriguing: a successful mystery writer is killed and his editor peruses his last novel to look for clues. I also read the sequel, Moonflower Murders, but found that plot a bit slow towards the end and the big reveal seemed somewhat contrived (too many loose ends tied up unconvincingly well). I still recommend the first book though!

We Are the Brennans, by Tracey Lange. the audio production, read by Barrie Kreinik, is a delight (most especially because she does a phenomenal job with the various Irish accents!). this novel pulls you into the intense relational web of the Irish American Brennan family, whose members are all keeping secrets for each other and from each other. an insightful exploration of sibling dynamics that play out from childhood into adulthood. I appreciated the nuanced character development, and the plot that picks up inexorable steam until its shockingly satisfying conclusion. 

Jacqueline in Paris, by Ann Mah. a novel based on the semester that Jackie Kennedy Onassis spent in Paris as a college student. I received this as part of my Book of the Month club so I knew nothing about the book prior, and because I somehow didn't know that her maiden name was Bouvier, I didn't realize it was based on that Jacqueline until I was almost halfway through. the book has an incredible sense of place and I resonated so much with the description of her experience studying abroad. 

Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr. this author can do no wrong! this book is a huge departure from his other books (All the Light We Cannot See and Four Seasons in Rome). in fact, it's almost three books in one -- historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and futuristic sci fi -- yet he manages to pull all of the threads together by the end. absolutely loved it.

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro. another faultless author: The Remains of the Day was an immediate favourite from the time I first read it in high school (in fact, it's about time for a re-read). in this book, Ishiguro creates a world where designated children are raised in isolated boarding houses for a special purpose that they themselves don't understand until they are ready to leave. an incisive social commentary that stays with you long after the last page. 

Eternal, by Lisa Scottoline. a novel of love and war, set in 1940s Rome. I especially enjoyed the many references to specific streets and areas of the city, as well as the Italian phrases sprinkled throughout the book. this was an easy read but still taught me so much about the war from a new perspective.

Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver. oh, this book absolutely tore my heart out. even though it's fiction, every bit of the story is based on reality: the roots of the opioid epidemic in Appalachia, the shortfalls of the foster system, the systemic classism that keeps the poor poor, and somehow, unbelievably, the ultimate perseverance and resilience of the human spirit. you're going to need those tissues again. 

next up, nonfiction picks!