The May House

 Jillian Cantor

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

The May House by Jillian Cantor follows three sisters (Julia, Emily, and Nora) who reunite for one week at their family home every May to spend time together. This was a promise they made to their grandmother in order to inherit the beach house there. One year, Julia doesn’t show up, so the story takes off from there, alternating between present and past.

The concept is really strong and quite engaging. The idea of three estranged sisters coming back together in a place loaded with emotional history has a lot of weight to it, and the novel taps into that well. There’s a constant sense that the house holds more than just memories, and I felt that there is some kind of underlying mystery that helps carry the narrative forward.

One of my favorite things about the book is the relationship between the sisters. It felt real to me—messy in a believable way, not overly dramatic but still emotional. Each sister has her own personality and baggage, and you can really feel that in how they interact. The story switches between their perspectives (in third person), which worked well in showing how differently they see the same past. As their history slowly comes out, their bond feels more layered, and some of their conversations are very relevant.

The author did a great job with the atmosphere of the book. It is excellent throughout. The setting of the May house has its own mood with an almost cozy but at the same time mysterious backdrop, which helps a lot in enhancing the emotional tone of the story. There’s a quiet intensity to the writing that keeps you immersed, even in slower moments.

Now, for what didn’t work for me—I think the main problem was with the non-linear timeline. There is a lot of back-and-forth between different points in time, which felt scattered and, at times, confusing. I have no idea why the author chose this method instead of the simple present and past periods. This sometimes made it harder to stay oriented within the story.

Overall, the book is still worth reading, so I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars. The concept is compelling, the sisters’ relationship is well developed, and the atmosphere is a real strength. But the disjointed timeline holds it back from being as impactful as it could have been.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes

• Sisterhood
• Friendship
• Grief & Loss
• Hidden Truths

Save the Date

 Mallory Kass

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction + Rom-Com

Summary

Save the Date by Mallory Kass is a rom-com that combines three fun tropes from different movies into one package. The book follows three women:

Marigold: The Bride

Movie: Sweet Home Alabama

Trope: The heroine is engaged to a perfect fiancé (Jonathan). She suddenly discovers she is still legally married to her ex-husband (Hugo), and the divorce papers were never finalized. She leaves her wedding rehearsal to go to Canada to finalize the divorce. Marigold rekindles feelings along the way.

Natalie: The Bridesmaid

Movie: My Best Friend’s Wedding

Trope: Natalie is the bridesmaid and her best friend. She’s also best friends with the groom (Jonathan) and secretly loves him. She helps a lot with the wedding, and emotionally, she is drained by her conflicted feelings between betraying Marigold or her own heart.

Olivia: The Sister

Movie: Picture Perfect

Trope: Olivia is so attracted to Andrew, but her heart is crushed when he brings a date to the wedding. Jonathan’s best man (Zack) suggests that the best way to make Andrew jealous is for him and Olivia to fake a relationship. And of course, we know what will happen next.

Characters

The characters are quite lovable here. I think the author did a great job with the characterization and their depth. This is not a single hero or heroine story. Mallory Kass made sure all the characters got their due in terms of their present ground as well as their backstories. The girls and their stories were very easy to distinguish from each other. However, because the plot follows predictable romantic beats, the characters sometimes feel guided by the needs of the trope rather than fully organic growth, making them engaging and likable but not always deeply layered.

Writing Style

The writing style in Save the Date is light, accessible, and easy to get into. It relies a lot on conversations between the characters. The chapters are short and rotate between the three girls’ perspectives in third-person style. The author in her story is more focused on internal thoughts and emotional tensions than on descriptive world-building. The prose is clear and polished, which serves the story efficiently. 

Atmosphere:

This is a wedding-centric atmosphere, which makes it emotionally charged—filled with drama and romantic tension in a good way. It is very suitable when you are in the mood to read something light and accessible, rather than heavy or angsty

Final Thoughts

Overall, I found the story to be a fun ride, following the three women with their different emotional stories. Yes, the plot follows familiar tropes and will feel predictable, but the execution of these tropes and the way they were combined into one big plot made things truly interesting. The epilogue was excellent and not expected at all. 

Readers who enjoy multi-POV rom-coms with a wedding backdrop should definitely check this one out. To me, it was a satisfying and engaging pick that earns a solid 4-star rating. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. 

Key Themes

• Romantic Conflict
• Romantic Reconciliation
• Second Chance
• Wedding Backdrop
• Love vs. Societal Expectations
• Personal Growth
• Self-Discovery

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead

 Mai Nguyen

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Summary

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead follows Cleo, a woman whose life splinters after the stillbirth of her daughter. The novel begins right inside that rupture, with no attempt to soften either the physical aftermath or the emotional shock of loss. Grief here isn’t abstract or poetic; it shows up as bodily pain, simmering resentment, numb stretches, and sudden flares of rage. As the world continues to move forward, Cleo remains in some kind of state of denial, rejecting that she has lost her child.

As she pulls away from her normal, ordinary, usual stuff, her relationships start to suffer. Her grief causes her marriage to be more complicated, and her friendship with Paloma becomes particularly strained. Paloma gave birth to a healthy baby at the same time Cleo lost hers, and that parallel—once incidental—turns unbearable. Cleo’s grief often surfaces as sharp, sometimes darkly funny internal commentary, which seems to underline just how isolating “out-of-order” loss can be. Even the kind gestures she keeps getting from her friends and family don’t seem to be having any effect on her, leaving her feeling more alienated than comforted.

Then, when Cleo takes a job at a funeral home, she encounters death in its many variations and meets people handling loss in different ways, be it different rituals or beliefs. The funeral home becomes a kind of emotional holding space. It is less suffocating than her home, yet mercifully free of any expectation that she should be “getting better.”

Through these encounters, the novel traces Cleo’s slow, uneven drift toward something that might resemble survival. This isn’t a story about healing in the tidy, redemptive sense. It’s more concerned with how a person keeps going when grief feels permanent, unfair, and stubbornly unresolved.

Characters

Cleo is a compelling but often difficult protagonist. Her voice is caustic, bitter, and unfiltered, which makes her grief feel lived-in rather than curated for sympathy. At times, her internal monologue circles the same emotional ground, occasionally to the point of fatigue. Still, I feel that repetition appears intentional, and trying to echo the way trauma traps people in loops they can’t easily escape. Her emotional stagnation isn’t accidental, though it may try some readers’ patience.

The supporting characters have their own purpose, but they largely function as emotional counterpoints rather than fully developed individuals. For example, Paloma, in particular, represents the uncomfortable coexistence of love and resentment, though her characterization sometimes feels flattened just to sharpen that contrast. For the most part, these characters exist in relation to Cleo’s grief, and few are given arcs that extend much beyond it.

Writing Style

Mai Nguyen writes in a first-person voice that feels confessional and often confrontational, blending graphic physical detail with blunt emotional honesty. The prose tends to linger on discomfort, refusing the safety of lyrical distance. I think this approach gives the novel its immediacy and emotional punch, though it can also feel heavy in longer stretches. The style seems less interested in subtlety than in making sure nothing painful goes unacknowledged—a choice that works powerfully at times and less so when the intensity becomes unvaried.

Setting

The novel unfolds in contemporary Toronto, moving between Cleo’s home, the hospital, and the funeral home where she later works. These are ordinary, recognizably mundane spaces, which quietly reinforce the idea that grief doesn’t happen in dramatic isolation. 

Atmosphere

I’d say the atmosphere is raw, oppressive, and emotionally claustrophobic most of the time. Although the novel is advertised to have dark humor, I personally didn’t feel much of that. The grief and sadness are what prevail in this story. 

Final Thoughts

At three stars, Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is a striking story about loss and grief, but it was not an easy read, especially if you have picked it up for the promise of dark humor. The good thing about the story is that it doesn’t romanticize loss or rush the recovery. 

I feel the biggest flaw is when the book sometimes lingers too long in emotional stasis, where repetition begins to stand in for depth. While I admired the honesty here, I felt the narrative flow faltered, and by the end, any sense of transformation ended up being muted. This is likely to resonate deeply with readers who recognize their own experiences in it, while others may find it emotionally exhausting or narratively constrained. Yes, I found it to be thoughtful and sincere, but just not entirely satisfying. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. 

Key Themes

• Child Loss
• Death
• Grief
• Trauma
• Identity After Loss
• Survival

More Than Enough

 Anna Quindlen

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Initial Impression

This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author, so I had no idea what to expect. The synopsis of the story sounded truly interesting and not something I have read in the past.

Summary
The story centers on Polly Goodman, a New York City English teacher in her forties who’s built a pretty comfortable, if somewhat rigid, life for herself. Everything seems settled until a birthday DNA test throws a wrench into things by revealing a close relative she didn't know existed. It’s a classic setup, but instead of turning into a fast-paced thriller, it's more of a slow-burn look at a personal identity crisis.

Most of the book follows Polly’s everyday grind—juggling classes at an all-girls school, heading to her usual book club meetings, and coming home to her husband, Mark. On the surface, it’s all very "civilized," but Quindlen uses that routine to peek at the messy stuff underneath: the lingering sting of infertility, old heartbreaks, and that nagging question of who we actually are when our biological history is a blank slate.

Characters
Polly is... well, she’s a lot. She’s thoughtful and compassionate, sure, but she spends so much time stuck in her own head that I found myself wanting to give her a bit of a nudge. Her anxiety about aging and her longing for a child feel incredibly raw and honest, but there were moments where I felt like I was reading her diary entries rather than watching a story happen. She can feel less like a person in motion and more like a landing pad for big "Life Lessons."

The author did a good job with some of the side characters. The women in the book club each has her own set of problems, and their different paths in life act as a "what if" mirror for Polly. On the other hand, Mark is just the "perfect" husband. He’s kind, steady, and always there. Honestly, he might be too perfect. He lacks that messy, human friction that would make him feel like a three-dimensional partner rather than just a supportive backdrop.

The Pacing and the Writing

Anna Quindlen's prose is lyrical and carries this gentle weight to it. That said, the pacing is likely to be a drawback for some readers. It was for me. Despite the book being less than 300 pages, it took me some time to get into it and finish it. There are these massive stretches of internal monologue that, while beautiful, definitely stall the engine. It’s the kind of book you read for the sentences, not necessarily because you’re dying to know what happens on the next page.

The Setting

New York is handled well here, too. It’s not the "Sex and the City" version; it’s a lived-in, slightly weary version of the city that feels like a natural extension of Polly’s personality. It’s subdued, a bit

melancholy, and stays pretty much at that one emotional frequency throughout.

Final Thoughts
More Than Enough is a solid, emotionally intelligent look at the things we don't usually say out loud. Quindlen did a great job capturing that specific mid-life realization that life didn't turn out exactly how you planned. This is very relevant to us when we hope for something, and the result is something else.

However, the book’s greatest strength—its restraint—is also its biggest flaw. It’s so quiet that it occasionally risks being forgettable. Sometimes I felt the author wanted to expand many subplots inside a constrained number of pages. If you’re into deep character studies and don't mind a plot that moves at a walking pace, you’ll probably find a lot to love. If you’re looking for a "hook" or a big dramatic payoff, this might feel a bit thin. I'd give it a 3/5: well-crafted and sincere, but it didn't exactly set my hair on fire.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. 

Key Themes

• Identity and Self Discovery
• Family, Chosen & Biological
• Infertility and Motherhood
• Aging
• Memory Loss
• Female Friendship

The Boy Most Likely To

 Huntley Fitzpatrick

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction + Young Adult

Initial Impression This book, The Boy Most Likely To, is the second in the Garretts series. I have to admit, I read the first one a few years ago and wasn’t exactly thrilled when this sequel popped up on my "Wheel of TBR," but I figured I’d give it a shot with a fresh perspective. I mean, the first one was just an okay read for me, so my expectations were pretty low to start.

Summary The story picks up with Tim Mason, who is, for lack of a better term, a screw-up. He's made a lot of mistakes, flunked out of school, and has pretty much disappointed everyone in his family. When he moves into the Garretts’ garage apartment, it's his last shot to get his act together. The Garretts themselves are a huge, wonderfully chaotic family, and their presence seems to both overwhelm Tim and, at the same time, give him a much-needed sense of stability.

Then there's Alice Garrett, the oldest daughter, who has her own stuff going on. Her dad is recovering from an accident, so she's stepped up to basically run the whole household. It’s a lot to handle, and she’s still trying to figure out her own life. She’s tough, practical, and maybe a little prickly, which makes for a fascinating contrast with Tim’s charming but self-destructive ways.

Their relationship starts off pretty reluctantly, almost like they’re enemies at first, but it gradually becomes something more complicated and surprisingly sweet. Alice doesn't want anything to get in the way of her responsibilities, and Tim, well, he's just not sure he deserves someone as solid and capable as she is. Yet, they find a way to connect, and their chemistry really helps both of them grow.

The plot takes a pretty dramatic turn when Tim finds out one of his past flings might have left him with a baby he never knew about. Being a father is a big challenge that comes out of nowhere, especially when he is trying to show himself and everyone else that he is more than just the guy who is most likely to fail. 

Characters The characters have some depth, but I have to admit that they weren't always interesting. Tim feels a bit like the classic “bad boy trying to do better” archetype, and while his journey is compelling in spots, it leans on some clichés. Thanks to his vulnerability and desire to change, he became pretty likable. Alice, on the other hand, comes across as very strong and grounded, but she also seems so weighed down by her circumstances. Her no-nonsense attitude is pretty realistic, though sometimes she feels more like a caretaker than a character with her own full arc.

The Garrett family adds a lot of warmth and energy to the story. The reader may find their noisy, busy home a little too much at times, but it feels so real and heartfelt. The supporting characters can occasionally blend together, but they do a good job of creating a genuine family vibe that helps ground Tim and Alice’s individual journeys.

Writing Style Tim and Alice are both written in the first person, and Huntley Fitzpatrick alternates between their points of view. The reason this dual narration works so well is that it allows you to enter both of their minds and truly comprehend their desires and fears. The writing is easy to read and sounds like a conversation. It has a classic YA romance feel, with drama, humor, and sad moments all mixed in. But there are times when the pacing seems a little slow because there is too much internal monologue.

Setting and Atmosphere The book is set in a small New England town, with most of the action taking place right there at the Garretts’ busy house. Tim’s garage apartment is a good symbol for his attempt to start over, and the Garretts’ household represents this great mix of chaos, responsibility, and love. The setting feels intimate, maybe even a little claustrophobic sometimes, but it’s a perfect backdrop for a story that's all about family. 

The book's atmosphere alternates between being cozy and being stressful. In addition to the emotional weight of Alice's overwhelming burdens and Tim's unexpected fatherhood, you get the cozy, messy comfort of a large family with all of their dinners and arguments. The tone perfectly conveys the pressures and rewards of being a teenager on the verge of adulthood.

Final Thoughts The Boy Most Likely To definitely has its good moments—the realistic family dynamics, some genuinely emotional scenes, and a sweet, complex romance. But I think there are several problems, like the pacing and drama, which can sometimes feel a little too much. Many times I felt that some of the plot twists were a little forced, and Tim's character arc is interesting, but it seems to go on for a long time. 

Alice's story is good, but it often gets lost in the shuffle of Tim's problems. All in all, it’s a decent YA read that manages to balance humor, romance, and some real-life challenges, though it doesn’t quite hit its full potential. I gave it 3 stars because it was an enjoyable read in some parts, but it's not one I'll probably remember a few years from now. I suppose readers who are really into family-focused YA romances with flawed but redeemable characters might find this worthwhile, but others might feel like it's a bit uneven.

Key Themes

• Family
• Responsibility
• Redemption
• Forgiveness
• Love
• Coming of age
• Mistakes and consequences
• Self-discovery
• Trust
• Second chances

Far from the Tree

 Robin Benway

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction + Young Adult

Initial Impressions
I’d heard a lot of praise for Far From the Tree over the years; people seemed genuinely moved by it. I actually bought my copy back in 2018, but didn’t get around to reading it until 2025. That gap made me a little wary. Young adult fiction and I don’t always get along, especially when the emotional beats feel too engineered. Still, I figured I’d give it a shot and see how it holds up.

Summary
The story centers on three biological siblings—Grace, Maya, and Joaquin—who were separated at birth and raised in very different circumstances. Grace, the middle child, has a stable adoptive family, but after giving up her own baby for adoption, she’s left reeling. That decision seems to crack something open in her, prompting a search for the siblings she’s never met.

Maya, the youngest, lives in a well-off, mostly white household. She’s biracial, outspoken, and often feels like she’s straddling two worlds. Her family’s issues, like alcoholism, denial, and a general unwillingness to talk about hard things, don’t help. Meeting Grace and Joaquin offers her a kind of emotional mirror, though not always a comforting one.

Joaquin, the eldest, has had the roughest go of it. He’s spent most of his life in foster care, moving from one home to another. His walls are high, and understandably so. But as he gets to know Grace and Maya, he starts to question what family could mean, not in the traditional sense, but in a way that feels real to him.

The novel doesn’t rush their connection. It’s messy, tentative, and layered with all the baggage you’d expect from three teenagers trying to stitch together a shared history they never lived. The story has many themes that it explores, like identity, belonging, and the complicated nature of family, but what stands out most to me is how the siblings slowly learn to trust each other, not because they’re supposed to, but because they choose to.

The Characters
Robin Benway writes with a kind of quiet empathy that gives each sibling space to breathe. Grace is introspective and guilt-ridden, Maya is sharp and defensive, Joaquin is guarded but deeply sensitive. None of them feel like archetypes, which is refreshing. Their personalities aren’t just shaped by their circumstances—they’re shaped by how they respond to those circumstances, which makes them feel more human.

Benway doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable emotions. There’s grief, resentment, fear of rejection, but also humor, awkwardness, and moments of genuine warmth. The dialogue feels lived-in, and the internal monologues are often where the most honest moments happen. I won’t get into the side characters too much—some of them play pivotal roles, but mentioning them would risk spoiling a few key turns.

Writing Style
Benway’s prose is straightforward but emotionally resonant. She switches between the siblings’ perspectives without losing momentum, and each voice feels distinct enough that you rarely get confused about who’s speaking. The pacing is deliberate. Some scenes linger longer than expected, but that slowness often works in the book’s favor. It gives the emotional beats room to land.

There’s a kind of everyday realism to the writing. It’s not trying to be literary or edgy; it’s trying to be honest. And while some of the humor leans a bit YA-snarky, it’s balanced by quieter moments that feel earned rather than inserted for effect.

Setting and Atmosphere
The story hops around different American suburbs and cities, but honestly, the places I felt were more like a mirror of each sibling’s headspace than anything else. Grace’s home feels cozy and reliable, Maya’s is shiny and put-together but kind of fragile underneath, and Joaquin’s life is all about uncertainty and moving around. I was able to clearly feel how their different worlds reflected the emotional gaps they were trying to close. I think every reader will be able to identify that.

The overall mood of the story is quiet, an almost constant sense of longing running through it—not just for family, but for the characters in understanding themselves and where they belong. Despite the heavy subject, it’s not all heavy, though; little moments of connection, jokes, and everyday life make it feel real and quite relatable. The mood sneaks up on you—it’s tender and charged in a way that feels natural rather than forced.

Final Thoughts
Far From the Tree is one of those books that may not blow you away with plot twists or lyrical prose, but it sticks with you because of how honestly it treats its characters. It’s not trying to solve the complexities of adoption or identity. It’s just trying to show what it feels like to live through them.

That said, a few plot turns felt a little too neat, and some secondary arcs could’ve used more depth. But those are minor nitpicks in a story that’s clearly more interested in emotional truth than narrative perfection.

Four stars feels right to me. It’s thoughtful, emotionally grounded, and quietly powerful in the way it explores what family can mean—especially when it’s something you have to build from scratch.

Key Themes

• Family and sibling relationships
• Identity and self-acceptance
• Difference and diversity
• Love and belonging
• Forgiveness and reconciliation
• Secrets and disclosure
• Resilience and personal growth

Home Fire

 Kamila Shamsie

Rating: ⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Initial Impression
The book had been on my TBR for some time now. I thought it was time to grab this award-winning novel and see what it offers—and whether the hype is real or not. Spoiler: it wasn’t.

Summary
Home Fire reimagines Sophocles’ Antigone in a modern British Muslim context, centering on three orphaned siblings: Isma, the responsible older sister; Aneeka, the fiercely passionate twin; and Parvaiz, who becomes radicalized and joins ISIS in Syria. Isma moves to America for studies, hoping to finally live her own life after raising her siblings, but she remains haunted by her family's past—especially their father, a known jihadist who died in custody. When she meets Eamonn, the son of the British Home Secretary (a powerful, assimilated Muslim politician), she hopes for a genuine connection. On the other side, Parvaiz is manipulated and joins a terrorist group. It becomes too late when he realizes what he got into

Desperate to reunite her family, Aneeka enters a sudden and intense relationship with Eamonn, hoping to leverage his influence. When the British government revokes Parvaiz's citizenship, the family’s situation deteriorates rapidly. Parvaiz dies while trying to escape Syria, and Aneeka becomes the public symbol of grief and resistance. In a melodramatic climax, both Aneeka and Eamonn perish in an explosion, leaving a legacy more defined by tragedy than victory. The novel explores themes of identity, assimilation, extremism, and the struggle between state power and individual freedom, though it faces criticism for oversimplification and Western pandering.

Characters
Isma Pasha: The dutiful older sister who sacrifices everything for her family but never really grows beyond her obedient, cautious nature.

Aneeka Pasha: The bold, beautiful twin who uses her body and emotions as tools for love, protest, and manipulation, all in record time.

Parvaiz Pasha: The lost twin brother who falls for a glossy fantasy of jihad and pays a fatal price trying to undo it.

Eamonn Lone: The privileged, clueless son of a politician who gets caught between a woman’s thighs and his father’s cold policies.

Karamat Lone: The British Home Secretary, a Muslim who sold out his people to climb the political ladder and doesn’t look back.

Writing Style
The writing is straightforward and accessible, making the novel easy to read despite its heavy themes. I feel that if you were more invested in the story or the way it is written, you might appreciate it more than I did. The use of clear, uncluttered prose helps the flow of the plot, with more focus on characters’ emotions and internal conflicts. The language didn’t feel to me overly literary or dense, which helps to read the book fast. Her direct approach makes the political and emotional stakes easy to follow, but that does not translate to approving her story or storytelling methods. 

Setting and Atmosphere
Mainly set in modern London, with key scenes taking place in Amherst (Massachusetts), Karachi, and Istanbul. The whole emotional and political core of the story is placed in London. There you will see how British Muslims are facing their challenges regarding their identity and societal pressure. Shamsie contrasts Isma's peaceful American academic life with London's frenetic, media-saturated one, where constant government policies and monitoring are the norm. 

The mood of the book is tense and serious, filled with a sense of dread that grows as the story unfolds. Whether it's the media, the government, or the characters' own fears, there's always a sense of constant surveillance, judgment, and unease. Threat overshadows even the tender moments. As the story moves toward its ending, the tone shifts from quiet sadness to melodramatic tragedy, leaving the reader feeling more frustrated than fulfilled.

Overall Impression
I hated this book. Home Fire wants to be a bold political novel, but it ends up feeling more like a high school debate disguised as literary fiction. The characters are cardboard cutouts for big ideas—“Devout Hijabi!” “Westernized Politician!” “Tragic Jihadi!”—and their actions rarely make sense unless you assume they’re puppets dancing for the author’s message. The writing is basic to the point of dull, the plot twists are dramatic in all the wrong ways, and the romance is so rushed it makes bad Wattpad fanfics look subtle. Instead of thoughtful Muslim representation, we get hijab-wearing women who drop their principles (and panties) the second a posh boy walks in. Not only that, but there is also a scene fetishizing the hijab in a sex scene! What is this? The government critique feels toothless, like it was edited for BBC approval.

This isn’t radical fiction—it’s prizebait. Carefully designed to tick boxes and win applause from Western literary circles. Less “powerful political novel” and more How to Win a Booker Prize for Dummies. And honestly? I’m not buying it.

Key Themes

• Radicalization and Recruitment
• State Power vs. Personal Freedom
• Identity 
• Family Loyalty and Sacrifice
• Grief, Loss, and Martyrdom
• Religion and Secularism

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World

 Elif Shafak

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Initial Impression
Having never read anything by Elif Shafak before, I went into this book with no expectations. That said, I’d heard so many good things about both the story and the writing. It’s been sitting on my TBR for a while, so I was excited to finally dive in.

Summary
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World opens with the death of its protagonist, Tequila Leila, whose body is found in a metal rubbish bin on the outskirts of Istanbul. Despite her heart having stopped, her brain remains active for ten minutes and thirty-eight seconds. During that time, her consciousness drifts like a tide pulling away from the shore, and her memories come flooding back, blurring the boundaries of time.

In these final moments, Leila revisits key episodes from her life: her birth in the city of Van, her father’s rejection for not being a boy, and being raised by his first wife as an “auntie” to her own self. She remembers the loneliness of her childhood, the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her uncle, and the way her religiously conservative family pulled her out of school. Eventually, she runs away to Istanbul with just five lira and twenty kurush in her pocket.

In Istanbul, Leila is forced into sex work, sold to a brothel by hustlers. Life in the red-light district is unforgiving, but she finds a love interest, and that is D/Ali, a leftist artist and student. Their relationship shows a rare moment of tenderness and equality, until it’s shattered due to a grave event.

The novel unfolds like a series of vivid memories, with each chapter peeling back a layer of Leila’s life as we inch closer to understanding her murder. It is more like the story going backwards to understand what happened. The central themes—memory, identity, belonging, and chosen family—are explored with raw honesty and compassion.

Characters
Shafak develops her characters through a rich, non-linear lens, revealing their inner worlds and traumas while grounding them in Istanbul’s complex social fabric.

Tequila Leila is the heart of the novel. Her final minutes are filled with memories that reveal a life marked by pain, strength, and love.

D/Ali is Leila’s great love. A politically active artist from a Turkish-German guest worker family, his untimely death haunts her.

Nostalgia Nalan is a trans woman and one of Leila’s five closest friends, who plays a key role in trying to give her a proper burial.

Sabotage Sinan is Leila’s childhood friend from Van. Bookish and gentle, he was her earliest ally, sneaking her books and news like a "sabotage radio".

Jameelah is a young Somali woman trafficked to Istanbul and forced into sex work. She meets Leila at a venereal disease hospital.

Zaynab122 is a spirited Arab woman with dwarfism. She defies expectations and reads fortunes in coffee grounds.

Hollywood Humeyra is a nightclub singer who fled an abusive marriage. Her new identity is both a shield and a reinvention.

These five friends represent Leila’s chosen family—the ones who stood by her when the rest of the world turned away.

Writing Style
This was my first time reading Elif Shafak, and I didn’t know what to expect. Her writing is layered, lyrical, and deeply immersive. She weaves personal stories with social critique, often using a fragmented, non-linear narrative. While I usually don’t enjoy that structure, I found myself pulled in by the beauty of her prose and the emotional weight behind it.

Setting and Atmosphere
Set in Istanbul, the novel breathes life into the city through vivid sensory details—smells of tobacco, sweat, fried food, and perfume. Shafak calls Istanbul a “she-city,” and this feminine portrayal adds texture to a setting that's both brutal and beautiful.

The city itself becomes a character: oppressive, chaotic, but also a place of unexpected grace. Whether it's the brothel, Leila’s modest apartment, or the shadowy streets, every place is infused with memory and meaning.

Overall Impression
This is a novel that stays with you at least for some time. It explores resilience, the search for dignity, and the power of chosen family with heartbreaking honesty. Shafak doesn’t shy away from hard truths—violence, societal rejection, abuse—but she also highlights moments of love, solidarity, and human connection. This is something that I really appreciated in the book.

The story’s emotional impact comes not just from Leila’s journey, but from the strength of the bonds she forms with others who, like her, live on the margins. This makes it a great choice if you are looking for a character-driven story. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World is thought-provoking, painful, and unexpectedly hopeful.

Key Themes

• Death and the Afterlife
• Memory and Trauma
• Identity and Belonging
• Chosen Family vs. Biological Family
• Resilience and Survival

The Wedding People

 Alison Espach

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Initial Impression
This book won the Goodreads Choice Award for readers’ favorite fiction last year, so I was very curious to see how it measured up for me—especially since many of my friends had given it high ratings and glowing reviews. I went into it with high expectations, which is normal when the hype is really big.

Summary
Phoebe Stone arrives at the Cornwall Inn, a nineteenth-century Newport hotel, having left St. Louis and everything behind—the husband, the house, and the luggage after her divorce. Her true purpose for being there is to end her life by suicide that evening, viewing the hotel as her happy place for this final act.

Upon her arrival, she is immediately swept into the unfolding preparations for a wedding, realizing the hotel is teeming with "wedding people." A striking encounter with the bride, Lila, in the elevator leads Phoebe to reveal her intention to die.

However, Lila's distress over the prospect of a suicide during her wedding week inadvertently begins to pull Phoebe back from the brink. Phoebe later has a significant encounter with Gary, the groom, in the hot tub, where she reiterates her suicide plan but also admits that she has decided not to go through with it. This moment creates an unexpected connection between them, fostering a sense of being "alive" and seen.

When Lila’s original maid of honor is unable to attend, Phoebe steps into the role, further immersing herself in the wedding events. Through conversations and shared vulnerabilities, Phoebe eventually helps Lila to realize something important and take a very daring step that changes everything.

Characters
The author did an excellent job with the characters. The story features a diverse cast of characters, each contributing to Phoebe Stone's journey of self-discovery and the unfolding events of the wedding week.

Phoebe Stone: The main protagonist of the story. The book is narrated from a third-person perspective, but the narration has a strong focus on Phoebe’s internal thoughts, feelings, and observations. To be frank, due to the character’s name, Lisa Kudrow was all the time in my mind while reading this book. She was Phoebe for me! Phoebe is struggling with many problems, like divorce, infertility, and several miscarriages. When she comes to the hotel, she is full of burdens. However, this trip transforms her life in a way she didn’t expect—leading her to unexpected connections.

Lila: She is the bride, and her wedding is the central event. While on the surface she is beautiful and almost perfect, underneath she also has her own struggles. She faces lots of pressure to be the special person she is not.

Gary: He is the groom and a gastroenterologist who is older than Lila. He is a widower whose first wife, Wendy, died of cancer. He has a daughter, too. Gary is portrayed as a kind, sincere, and perceptive man who has learned to prioritize making others happy after Wendy's death, often suppressing his own feelings.

Matt: Phoebe's ex-husband, a philosopher and professor. He had an affair with Mia. Matt is initially portrayed as distant and uncaring about Phoebe's struggles. However, he becomes deeply concerned when Phoebe disappears and eventually decides to do something about it.

Jim: Gary's brother-in-law, an engineer. He was very close to his sister, Wendy, and was deeply affected by her death. He plays an important role in the story.

Marla: Gary's sister, a lawyer and mayor. She is often critical and judgmental, particularly towards Lila and her choices. I found her to be unintentionally funny due to the absurd remarks and statements she kept making.

Writing Style
Being the first book I read by Alison Espach, I had no idea how the writing would be, so I had no expectations there. The author used the third-person style of narration to focus on Phoebe’s emotions and feelings. To me, the writing was more in line with Phoebe’s internal voice—analytical and quite self-deprecating. When you read the book, you will definitely experience a blend of wit, cynicism, and frankness. It serves the story very well.

Setting and Atmosphere
The Cornwall Inn, a nineteenth-century Newport hotel—a grand, historic location—serves as a central stage for the unfolding events. The initial atmosphere you will feel when you start the book is more about despair, since the main character is trying to attempt suicide. There is heavy isolation and the presence of the wedding and wedding people creates an overwhelming feeling of chaos (in Phoebe’s perspective). Soon, that atmosphere changes to hope, connection, and self-discovery. So the reader will feel a contrast and a shift in the atmosphere clearly.

Overall Impression
The Wedding People is basically an insightful journey through the mind of its protagonist, making it an engaging read worthy of a strong four-star rating. I liked the characters and the atmosphere of the book. I feel it is a book that many readers can have a good time with. Although it appears to be a simple story on the surface, it has an underlying depth to it. Why was this not a 5-star read? Maybe I expected more? Or perhaps the hype felt a lot more than what was delivered—regardless, I had a good time following Phoebe’s story.

Key Themes

• Lonliness
• Isolation
• Divorce
• Infertility
• Wedding
• Hope
• Self-discovery
• Grief
• Self-acceptance
• Reinvention

The Husband's Secret

 Liane Moriarty

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

This is my third Liane Moriarty book after Big Little Lies and Truly Madly Guilty. Right from the beginning, let me say that I enjoyed those two more than this one.

 Although the story's format, which follows three female characters, is similar to Big Little Lies, its execution and outcome are quite different. We follow the main female lead, Cecillia, who is heavily involved in community events and sells Tupperware. She discovers a sealed letter from her husband addressed to her and to be opened in the event of his death. Her husband is still alive, so curiosity kills her.

The second female character is Tess. Along with her son, she moved into her mother’s house after her husband left her for another woman, who is also her cousin and best friend. Then there is Rachel, who, after many years, is still grieving the murder of her daughter. She still has her eyes on Connor as the killer of her daughter.

This book, like the author’s other books, features storylines that are intertwined with one another. Secrets will be out in the open, and characters will find themselves forced to face difficult situations. The plot is intriguing. However, I can’t help but feel it was overwritten. This story didn’t need to be over 400 pages. 

The ending was unbelievable for both the characters and our world. I couldn’t comprehend Rachel acting like that after many years of searching for that killer. Her reaction was totally out of character. The other resolutions were similarly lacking in depth. The story relied more on drama than character growth, which is why it didn’t connect with me like the author’s other books. It’s a decent story, but a forgettable one. 

Port Anna

Libby Buck

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½ Genre: Contemporary Fiction

This debut novel follows the story of Gwen, a woman in her forties who is returning to her family’s cottage, located in the fictional coastal town of Port Anna, after many setbacks in her life, like a failed relationship and career loss. 

This aging seaside cottage was owned by her family for generations. She goes there again for solace and some rethinking of where she stands. Going back there awakens many memories and secrets. What surprises Gwen is that this time she is drawn to the community that she once fled from. It will be like an opportunity to rekindle old friendships and explore what used to be her home once again.

The story is not fully contemporary fiction and has some magical realism elements in it due to the presence of ghosts. At times, the plot felt overcrowded with events, making it seem unnecessarily stuffed. There are parts of the story that will appeal to many readers, but the ghost part might not be among them.

In my opinion, the overall atmosphere of the coastal town is what makes this story appealing. That atmosphere reminded me of the movie Safe Haven. Although the two stories are different, they both take place in a coastal town and have ghosts! If you loved the atmosphere of the movie, you might also love the atmosphere of this book, which I think can be an excellent beach read choice.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.

Lucky Tomorrow

Deborah Jiang-Stein

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary + Short Stories

This is an intriguing book that centers on Felma, a woman who works in a flower shop and seeks her daughter after she was taken from her while serving time in prison. The world surrounding Felma and each of her customers also has their own story. There is a connection among these stories as well.

The book contains over thirty stories, each one of them focusing on different individuals with their own problems, challenges, and obstacles. These stories explore themes such as hope, grief, mental health, and identity. As a reader, you may find yourself liking some stories more than others, depending on your tastes and preferences.

One of the main strengths of this collection is the author’s writing style. It is indeed flowery, which enhances the themes being explored, particularly since flowers are a recurring motif in nearly all the stories. Additionally, I appreciated the vivid descriptions of the various locations depicted throughout the narratives. I believe the author excelled in this aspect.

Although it’s a well-written book with a very interesting structure, I believe the number of stories was excessive compared to the number of pages. The stories were short, which doesn’t provide enough opportunity to connect with the characters and their challenges. Perhaps having eight or ten stories within the same structure would have made a significant difference. This is my personal opinion, and your experience may differ, so give the book a chance if you think it’s something you might find interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.