Fans of Kawaguchi’s series will enjoy this latest installment. While the stories are similar to previous ones, readers will enjoy reading about a new group of customers and seeing some familiar faces. Kawaguchi’s comforting and thought-provoking book is perfect reading for cold winter nights.
It’s disappointing that Xuan and her daughters are not revisited once the narrative returns to the past, but Tran’s debut is an engrossing story of the ties among mothers, daughters, and sisters, sprinkled with humor and intrigue. Fans of the strong women protagonists of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s The Mountains Sing will likely appreciate this less intensively told family story. Also good for book groups.
Ledwidge (the “Michael Gannon” series) adopts techniques from his sometimes-coauthor James Patterson (with whom he wrote Zoo) for this fast-paced stand-alone mystery with short, snappy chapters.
These tearful stories hit hard but ultimately lead to a beautiful ending. Fans of Matt Haig’s Midnight Library will enjoy this quick read with touches of magical realism and soul-searching.
Following his debut, Bright’s Passage, singer-songwriter Ritter displays his storytelling gifts in a rollicking narrative featuring tall tales, outrageous characters, and hair-raising adventure in the waning days of Idaho lumberjacks. A deeply genuine must-read story.
This impassioned account is ideal for readers well versed in current climate change activism, especially efforts spearheaded by Greta Thunberg. Relevant for collections with a concentration on environmental issues, otherwise optional.