The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

 

Really well done and thought-provoking.

The Genetic Lottery by Kathryn Paige Harden

 

I didn't agree with all of this, but it is a fascinating topic.

The Judge's List by John Grisham

 

Classic Grisham -- this worked really well. A fun read.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

 

So much fun. The characterization is really clever.

The 99% Invisible City by Roman Mars

 

This was amazing -- seriously, so fascinating. Highly recommended.

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

 

This was very unusual, and I still haven't decided if I liked it.

The Dilemma by B. A. Paris

 

This was dumb -- too many coincidences. It might have worked as a farce.

A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century by Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein

 

Wow, this was epically bad. The only reason I finished reading it was the same reason people slow down to gape at car wrecks.

Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui

 

Super-interesting. I started lap swimming a few months ago, and a lot of this really resonated with me.

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

 

This would be a great read for a book group -- there's so much here to discuss.

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

 

Very well written and great fun.

Review copy provided by publisher.

My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson

 

This was amazing. Highly recommended for its excellent writing.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen

 

I disliked this at first because of my strong conviction that, if Franzen were female, their works would be dismissed as "chick lit" instead of as one of the best novelists of this generation.

Be that as it may, the story grew on me. Franzen has a gift for characterization, specifically for showing how events appear differently from different perspectives.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Dear Evan Hansen

 

This was charming.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

 

I liked this glimpse of rage, although it feels somehow wrong to say that.

Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County: A Family, a Virginia Town, a Civil Rights Battle by Kristen Green

 

This was fascinating and very sad.

Run the world by Becky Wade

 

Great topic, poor execution. I think she may have been too young to write this.

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

 

Clever and fun, with a nice romantic angle (if a bit eye-rolling of a sex scene).

Review copy provided by publisher.

Running Like a Girl by Alexandra Heminsley

 

Honestly, this was kind of lame.

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum

 

Everyone working in education should read this book, as well as anyone who wants to have an opinion about affirmative action.