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Margaret Allbee's avatar

Oh, I loved The House at Riverton by Kate Morton! I found it when looking for recommendations for someone going through Downton Abbey withdrawals. Been meaning to read more books by her (they always sound good) but haven't managed yet.

Currently reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. It's a little more pop fiction than I usually read, and it took me a bit to get into it. But by the halfway mark, I was HEAVILY invested in the characters and now I can't put it down. And there's an octopus. 🐙 Which just makes it even more awesome. I fell in love with octopuses when I read The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. 🐙❤️

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Tiffany's avatar

They are making Remarkably Bright Creatures into a movie with Sally Field. I loved this book so much that after listening to it 3 times on audio from the library I felt the only honest thing was to purchase my own copy. You can see the plot twist coming a mile away but the story is so charming and heartwarming that I didn't care.

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Nicole's avatar

I loved both of those books.

If you have fallen in love with octopuses and you haven’t already seen it, watch the documentary My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. It’s wonderful

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Tullia Ropp's avatar

Had the same experience with The Soul of an Octopus. Love them so much.

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Margaret Allbee's avatar

Definitely my favorite underwater sea creature! (Everyone has one. Great question to ask someone you just met!)

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Sarah Williams's avatar

I have always wanted to read Kate Morton. This is a good reminder!

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Elizaebeth's avatar

I can't decide if I would like this or not. I love a good book set with ocean animals, but the writing I peeked at doesn't seem toothsome enough for a satisfying read. But you say the character development snags you? Ach, enormous TBR! Maybe they'll make a movie and solve my nambi-pambiness :)

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Margaret Allbee's avatar

I say try it, knowing it might take you a bit to get into. I'm listening to the audiobook and the reader is doing a great job capturing the sarcasm and cynicism from some of the characters. I know not everyone likes cynical/sarcastic characters, but maybe this will help: the MCs are all dealing with something super sad that has happened to them, and trying to find ways to move past it. So they are very human. (None of them are whining about their super sad things, though, thank goodness.) Despite their sarcasm, I find them all to be quite charming!

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Elizaebeth's avatar

Sold :)

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Elizabeth's avatar

I quite liked Remarkably Bright Creatures. Its a poignant exploration of how peoples’ (and animals’) lives change/evolve over time. The characters are spunky and fun.

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Claudia Byers's avatar

I also read Remarkably Bright Creatures and found it heartwarning. Have you seen the documentary on Netflix 'My Teacher the Octopus'? It is a very touching, well done documentary about the relationship between a man and an octopus. You will cry at the end. I highly recommend everyone see this.

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Nicole Matisse's avatar

I just finished The Spellshop, by Sara Beth Durst, and it immediately rose to my top 3 books for 2025. Read this if you want something sweet and lovely and cozy and romantic and empowering and clever, and centers inclusiveness, diversity, found family, and kindness. Three more words: sentient spider plant!

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

SENTIENT SPIDER PLANT!!!

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Nicole Matisse's avatar

I mean, that’s all I would have to hear to dive right in. Their name is Caz, and I wish they were my friend too.

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Rachel's avatar

I loved that book! I always think about that place when I need to think of a cozy place in my mind.

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Sarah Williams's avatar

Love The Spellshop. Never knew how much I would care about a spider plant.

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A Hudson's avatar

This just pushed me to finally read it, just place my hold on Libby

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Elizaebeth's avatar

This sounds delightful!

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Shonna's avatar

I love all of those words and will be adding this to my TBR!

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Reader By Choice's avatar

I’m reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

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Margaret Allbee's avatar

We are reading buddies! I'm reading it now too!

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Alan McVay's avatar

I am reading Niall Williams’ This is Happiness, the first book about fictional Faha in western Ireland.

So far, yes, I would recommend it.

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Elizaebeth's avatar

I enjoyed that one! Definitely a strong sense of place and time! I did think it got a bit meandering, but if you read it like you're listening to a storyteller in a tavern (pint in hand), the digressions just add to the flavor.

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Kathy's avatar

I have this book on my TBR. Good to know you like it.

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Eileen Sullivan's avatar

I read This is Happiness for our bookclub and loved it! One of the highest ratings in our 25+ year history. It describes a slice of life in a time gone by and is beautifully written.

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Abigail Penner's avatar

I am also currently reading this!

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Denise's avatar

I'm reading No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister. I'm just over half way and am enjoying it very much.

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A Hudson's avatar

I loved this book, we read it for book club. I listened on audio and loved it so much I bought a hard copy. It also led me to check out her other books, I added The Scent Keeper to my tbr

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Sarah Williams's avatar

I enjoyed the construct of the novel being the thread that carried the narrative.

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Culatta's avatar

I loved this one.

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Sarah Williams's avatar

I am reading The Long Way home by Louise Penny. She describes inspector Gamache’s daughter as “Not having a body for the Paris runways, but for good food and books by the fire.” And I’m like, “Yeah! Goals!”

Today I am finishing “The Story She Left Behind” by Patti Callahan Henry. I love it. She reminds me of Sarah Addison Allen. There’s less actual magic, but there’s always a wiff of it in the words.

Finally, I am waiting for “Perspectives” to be shipped by Bookshop.org. You totally sold it to me on TLOLT.

Happy Reading.

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

“Not having a body for the Paris runways, but for good food and books by the fire.” #canrelate

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Caroline S's avatar

I'm re-reading The Historian. It's just as good the second time around.

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

Can confirm that it holds up to, say, 8 readings. ;-)

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Abigail Penner's avatar

I'm reading The Devil and the Dark Water and I'm not very far into it, but I'm hooked. Stuart Turton is fast becoming a favorite!

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

I loved this one!

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Margaret Allbee's avatar

His books are great!

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Elizabeth's avatar

That one was fun. Lots of sea-faring lore and details along with a fast-paced mystery.

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Carmen Amato's avatar

My book club read The House at Riverton, which captivated us all. Right now I'm reading the new Hamish Macbeth mystery, Death of a Smuggler. This is the latest book by R.W. Green to continue the series after the death of creator M.C. Beaton. True to the original books about the policeman in the far north of Scotland and his fictional village of Lochdubh, the writing absolutely sparkles.

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Kathy's avatar

I am currently reading APlace For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza and I would definitely recommend it. I do not want to finish this book because I don’t want it to end. I fell in love with this family. I have approximately three hours left out of 15 hours and 48 minutes in this book.

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Elizaebeth's avatar

Immediately got it on Libby!

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Kathy's avatar

I have 1 hour left in the book and i keep stopping it because i don’t want it to end.

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Elizaebeth's avatar

Ack, this makes me wanna lay aside my other books and start this one!!

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Elizabeth's avatar

Hah! Just added it to my library holds.

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Andrea Cuene's avatar

Trust by Hernan Diaz, I recommend!☺️

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

So good. I love the way the truth of the story changes as you move through the book.

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Kristin's avatar

I'm reading this right now, and I'm really enjoying it. I love the interweaving of the different perspectives and "truths." The fact the story centers around finance and money I didn't know if it would really grab me? It feels quite relevant to what's happening in our world as it relates to money, power, families, and all the things.

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Culatta's avatar

I just finished SEARCH by Michelle Huneven and I am so very glad I picked this one up (despite probably not being its perfect audience as I’ve never attended church regularly as an adult). However, I LOVED it. I couldn’t believe how invested I got in the outcome of this search for a Californian Unitarian Universalist congregation's new minister! I was all in, turning the pages under the covers, had to find out what happened next. Jaw dropping. As you might imagine, there were factions ("the youngs" vs. "the olds") and differences in ideas about who would best serve the church ("better preacher" vs. "more social activism/programs") and the little idiosyncratic reasons why the committee might not like a particular person. It reminded me of our academic searches and how insular it was and how even seemingly tiny things could change the whole course of the search. The main character was also a food critic so wrote up all the dishes they ate during their year of meetings. What a fun read.

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Emily Kerr's avatar

Loved Search. I even reread it!

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lizzie's avatar

Currently reading Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones and I’m loving the short and life-affirming essays.

I’m also struggling through I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger…I wanted to love this book because the premise sounded so interesting (not to mention the title is so cool and the cover art is stunning), but it’s been a slog for me. I just switched to the audio in hopes that it’ll be a little more engaging than me just nodding off to sleep when I read it in print lol.

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Margaret Allbee's avatar

He is a great writer if you are ok with slllooooowwww plots. I struggle with him, too. Totally agree the cover is gorgeous.

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jacque t's avatar

I'm reading The Husbands by Holly Gramazio which is not meeting expectations. I was listening to audio, but have switched to print hoping that may improve the experience since so many of my friends have loved it. But 80 pages in... I'm also reading The Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks by Patrick Radden Keefe which I am enjoying (but I have loved all of Keefe's books).

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

Keefe is so good! Did you watch the adaptation of 'Say Nothing'? It's pretty solid.

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jacque t's avatar

I have not (don't watch much). I might need to check it out!

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Elizaebeth's avatar

Oo, 80 pages in and no joy? Ditch it! Life is too short :) (My 2 cents worth)

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jacque t's avatar

It gets 20 more pages to convince me to not DNF (I have a 100 page rule for myself!)

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Tracy's avatar

I’m currently reading Sipsworth. I thought it was quite boring at first, but I’ve discovered the writing is exquisite. Book club is tonight and others have reported they enjoyed it. Just finished Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry which I loved if you are looking for a romance with some great characters and an interesting story arc.

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Elizaebeth's avatar

Sipsworth sounds too twee for me. I am eager to read the new Emily Henry, though!

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Tracy's avatar

Emily will not disappoint you!

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Tullia Ropp's avatar

I'm reading Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi, which is so odd and interesting as well as periodically dipping into My Pen is the Wing of a Bird which is a short fiction anthology from female Afghan authors that has been extraordinary (and heavy)

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Elizaebeth's avatar

Oyeyemi's books are always so wonderfully weird. They haunt, long after reading. Although not always satisfying to me. The Afghan anthology does sound amazing.

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Melissa Joulwan's avatar

I have never made it past a first chapter of Oyeyemi, even though it seems like those books should be my thing?

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Elizaebeth's avatar

The 3 Oyeyemi books I have read all play with structure, reality, and terrifying fairy tales. They are very atmospheric, and very clever with language, but maddening if you like a good character development arc. She's definitely an author I can only read when I'm in the matching headspace. She does feel like she layers and stretches bizzarro short stories in her novels. That might not be what your readerly heart wants or needs, Mel (we all know how you feel about short stories). These books are solidly Weird, capital W.

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Tullia Ropp's avatar

This is my first time reading her work! This one absolutely doesn't have a linear plot... It reads almost more like short stories just with the same two characters (an author and his muse) inserted into the main roles. The stories are all in conversation with each other as the author is having to analyze his own nature. I'm digging it! But could absolutely see how it could not be someone's cup of tea.

I'm also only halfway through, heh.

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