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Remote Alaska, cult-like power dynamics, dark secrets, and a creepy but charismatic captor with an eerily self-serving philosophy-- every detail drew me deeper into the thrilling world of the Beautiful and the Wild. A compelling story with a protagonist I rooted for until the novel's satisfying end.

Sing, I begins with a hold up. The horror and mystery of it and subsequent crimes runs throughout the book; however, at its heart the novel is a story about finding one's self and being true to that person. After years of putting others first--sons, father, husband--and losing track of her own desires, Ester Prynn does just this. Rohan's talent sings in Sing, I-- a  touching, generous, and worthwhile read that brings the choices we make for ourselves, and those we love, front and center.

Five stars for Kalotay's The Archivists. Themes of memory and loss abound--from the opening story, Relativity, which follows a social worker helping Holocaust survivors while dealing with his own loss, to the final story, Oblivion, in which memory itself is lost. The stories capture human relationships and desires, often in difficult moments--at a party with an ex who's now engaged to another woman, on a mountain trek where relationships end but no one can walk away, or in pandemic lockdown. Kalotay deftly depicts human complexity as well as both the honesty and dishonesty in ourselves and our relationships. Beautifully written, deeply moving, and memorable.

Full of humor and astute observations, The Chinese Groove is a wonderful story of family, love, fortune and adventure. Ma's Shelley is an observant and upbeat narrator, with a voice I'll always remember.

"For you, for her, for the family. It's what women do in the patriarchy" --again and again, I thought of this line from Pari's novel, which depicts the myriad ways--both blatant and subtle--that women's lives are shaped, or expected to be shaped, by men. The Jahani family, forced by tragedy to revisit the past, is at once dysfunctional and sympathetic, and it was a pleasure to spend some time in each of the points of view. The novel is rich with political context, humor, and wisdom--and beautifully written.

From the first sign of fire to the aftermath of the blaze, Fire in Paradise puts a human face on a still recent tragedy. Throughout, the authors capture  the panic and confusion of a terrifying fire, as well as many beautiful moments in which, even in the midst of danger, the residents of Paradise help one another. Well written and carefully reported, the book is difficult to put down and very moving. Highly recommended!

I was captivated by each chapter of Broad Strokes and I loved Quinn's voice: I laughed when she pointed out the provocative direction of a paintbrush, I appreciated the historical context that she provided, and I admired the care and attention with which she describes each work of art. The book is very hard to put down. Each story is compelling for many, many reasons.

"I went to my locker in the art library and took out our main text, a massive volume called History of Art by H. W. Janson, hoisted it onto a table, and started flipping through," Quinn writes in the introduction. "By the time I hit the back cover, I had a list of sixteen women...In more than 800 pages, this was all “official” art history could offer." Just sixteen.

Many thanks to Quinn for writing this book. It is a fascinating and important read, and very enjoyable.

Ethel Rohan wrote a beautiful book. I was fully drawn into Billy Brennan’s story--his struggles and his determination to make a difference in the world. Rohan's characters are complex and compelling, her language lovely and evocative. Not only do I highly recommend this book, I am already looking forward to what this author does next.