This well-researched narrative of The Wager takes elements of true crime and history and combines it with a deliciously literary way of storytelling to make a very compelling read. Set in 1740, The Wager was part of a squadron whose mission was to capture a treasure-filled Spanish galleon near the tip of South America. To say this mission was a disaster is actually understating the case. Grann does an amazing job of piecing together the extensive source material to create a narrative of what likely happened after The Wager vanished. Without spoiling the book, let's just say it's an incredible survival story, but also, a story of what happens to civilized order when lives are on the line. Grann then overlays that with observations on media and empire-building and how this small story has big lessons for us all.

Engaging, succinct, and a wonderful way to be introduced to important historical concepts while grabbing the reader and not letting go.

John Boyne's Heart's Invisible Furies was my favorite book I read last year (out of 50 mostly literary titles), and this book may be my favorite for this year. Maurice Swift, our protagonist, is the type of villain that readers can love to hate. Boyne cleverly reveals the story of Swift using different perspectives, and by doing so, he surprisingly is able to create quite a few well rounded supporting characters too. This book echoed others for me such as American Psychopath, Lolita, and The Talented Mr. Ripley, but in a more subtle way that was more engaging and fun to read as opposed to leaving the reader filled with disgust. The icing on the cake is this book is about ruthlessness in the literary world so it feels like an insider peek into the industry.

Subtle, yet heartwarming and inspiring, Clock Dance manages to create a protagonist, Willa, that represents the internal voice that so many women have. The voice that tells us to act politely under all circumstances and never create a fuss. The voice that asks ourselves "why haven't I done more with my life?" The voice that tinges all new experiences, large and small, with anxiety. What makes the book worthwhile is seeing how Willa grows from a timid young woman to an empowered individual. The small details bring the story to life and keep the reader engaged and turning the pages.

This quick paced novel about a mildly dysfunctional family quarantined together over Christmas has moments of warmth and wit. The plot revolves around the relationships of a food critic, his wife, and their two daughters, Phoebe and Olivia. Some of the circumstances this family finds itself confronting just seem to strain belief a bit, but if you can put that out of your mind, the storytelling is enjoyable. Phoebe is an especially fun character as she is quite shallow and most of the humor centers on her. Readers who enjoyed The Nest will probably eat this novel up. Personally, I wasn't one of those readers, but of the two novels, I believe this one is more interesting, more humorous and has better developed characters.

It feels like it has been awhile since I read a book that felt strictly like pleasure reading, and Victoria was perfect in that regard. Goodwin's storytelling is wonderful - - I felt transported to the 19th century and captivated by the story of an 18 year old Queen who simultaneously must contend with the responsibilities and politics of her position and the normal coming of age problems. The story has historical detail, enough to set the scene, but not too much to bog you down, romance, a bit of fashion, and some political challenges - - all of which are presented in a completely engaging way. Very enjoyable read that I would totally recommend to any historical fiction buff.

Shelter has that "can't put it down" quality that every reader covets. The book shows three generations of a family that are seriously impacted by the behavior of the oldest generation. Yun rivets the reader by using both elements of mystery and psychological suspense to keep the pages turning. Although the writing style doesn't remind me of Jonathan Franzen, the characters definitely do. Yun isn't afraid to create less than loveable ones. This book came very close to a five star read for me because the plotting and pacing both merited a very high rating. There were a few loose ends that were left unresolved and one moment toward the end of the book that really diminished my empathy with the protagonist that lead me to remove one star. However, this book is one I will definitely recommend to friends seeking a fast-paced, engrossing read.

Reporter Katherine Boo gives us an important and eye opening narrative of four years of life in a slum of Mumbai. Her book illustrates the day to day existence of people who must contend with incredible corruption and lack of safety in their daily lives in a way that helps the reader truly understand and empathize with them. By doing so, the author shines a bright light on the sheer impossibility of the lives of these Indians. You can't help but admire their ingenuity in the face of absolutely no clear path to a better life.

Unfortunately, the book missed the opportunity to truly move the reader emotionally. The narrative was strongest when it evoked the specific details of slum life and the effects of corruption of India; it wavered when the focus was on the inner life of its residents.

Interestingly, I really was of two minds when I finished this book. On one hand, I think it is an important book. One that would be absolutely outstanding for book clubs. On the other hand, it was a non-fiction story that reads like fiction, and unfortunately that conferred upon it an expectation that it would also be emotionally moving. Although the characters face absolutely horrible circumstances, somehow I didn't feel I really knew them well enough to care about the specific individuals ... I was more blown away by the circumstances of the slums as a whole and of the horrendous situation that exists today. It could have easily been a five star book if the author had been able to better tap into the "stars" of her story's emotional status. Or perhaps she did, but just wasn't able to get those emotions on the page. She definitely tries to do it - - the words are there - - but somehow my feelings just didn't follow (as they did in say, Unbroken).

I love a book that I can't put down; and The Good Father definitely was one of those. The story follows the life of child of divorce through the eyes of his father. As a child of divorce myself, I could really relate to the issues the book raises about how a parent thinks they are there for the child, and they really are not. In addition, the Good Father weaves interesting historical profiles that add insights into the story of the child. Hawley definitely knows how to generate suspense that propels through this sad tale.

In my mind, this book is perfect for summer reading - - suspenseful, fast paced, and a real page turner. I also love how Lippman (who I have not read before) weaves in all sorts of details about Baltimore. Not merely about the geography, but details about life here that are uniquely native to the area. My only qualm about the book is that it really touches on a sensitive subject, yet not in a way that really made me feel sympathetic for the victims. Curious about what happened to them, yes. Caring about them, not so much. I also agree with the reviewer who mentioned the odd choice of narrative voice . . .when the story discusses the group of five friends, the narration uses "We", but clearly no individual in the group is the narrator . . .and that struck me as sort of odd. But all in all, if you are just looking for a read that kind of grabs you and doesn't let go - - I think this does just that.

I loved this debut novel about two children, born of Russian immigrants and living in modern day America. Vaclav and Lena are childhood friends, both Russian, but with extremely different home lives. As children they bond over Vaclav's dream to be a magician. Unfortunately, there is much more going on with Lena than meets the eye, and one day she essentially vanishes from Vaclav's life.

This book seems influenced by so many others to me - - Like Water for Elephants, Book Thief, and teensy bit of Life of Pi. But the writing style and voice is uniquely Tanner's. You feel that these people are not native English speakers throughout the entirety of the book, yet it still flows beautifully.

There were a scant few chapters, told from Lena's point of view, that I found overdone and slow. But the rest of the book was a delightful gem that at times almost brought me to tears (hard to do).
I'm very anxious for someone else to read it because it definitely has a bit of a hook for book clubs, and I'm curious to discuss it with someone else.

It is worth noting that this book reads a bit like a YA novel . . .but I don't think that is truly intentional. I think it stems more from the fact that the voice is that of an immigrant so the English is necessarily simple.

Also, if there is a better drawn character of a mother than Raisa - - I don't know of her. I fell in absolute love with her as a character, and truly felt that this book was as much a love story about her and her son as it was about the title characters.
Highly recommend.

There will inevitably be comparisons of "A Box of Darkness" to "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion, but I just think this book is even more breathtaking. Brady is completely honest. Her frankness shines a flashlight on her lengthy marriage in a way that just lets you feel every ounce of her pain, confusion, and deep abiding love for her husband. That she does this in a literary and beautifully written way is just icing on the cake. Loved it! Made my favorites list for 2010. Will definitely be recommending it to my Play Book Tag membership.

This story of an immigrant's experience in NYC is told in a well executed first person voice -- and the strength of this voice held my interest. However, the author tries to do too much. There are too many shallowly drawn characters. The three Jewish characters (the Bruckners and the landlord) are portrayed in the most negative light with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Unfortunately, the overall impact is unsatisfying. There's a good book in here somewhere, but I don't think this one fully realized its potential.