Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

 

 Fun.

The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson

 

 Lame.

Family Man by Elinor Lipman

 

 Fun.

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

 

This did not age particularly well.

Blood Test by Charles Baxter

 

meh

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

 

So, so good.

Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall

 

Fun.

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella

 

 Not sad itself, but sad given how autobiographical it is.

Camino Ghosts by John Grishman

 

Solid.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

 

Things I don't like: magical realism, anachronistic feminists, sappy love stories, the trend of elderly protagonists, historical fiction, narratives split between past and present.

This book had all of the above -- and I loved it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

 

I'm kind of surprised to see all of the positive buzz about this one -- the plot was a bit too far, and the characterization seemed unnuanced.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jonasson

 

Very solid -- sometimes these northern European works are a bit too dark for me, but this was very enjoyable.

Review copy provided by publisher.

That Summer by Jennifer Weiner

 

Solid, but weighty for a beach read,

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

 

meh

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman

 

Clever and interesting.

In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros

 

A decent romance, except that I am not sure whether setting it against the fall of Afghanistan is a great way to bring some big issues to new readers or just tacky.

Every Moment Since by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

 

Unusually good character development for a mystery novel.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

 

 I was pre-disposed to love this because Korelitz is one of my favorite authors, and this was narrated by Julia Whelan. But this was very disappointing. It just didn't work.

Review copy provided by publisher.