A few months ago I posted about the 2021 Women’s Prize longlist. At the time I had only read two of the books, Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (both excellent). Since then I’ve read four more of the books from the longlist: Piranesi, Luster, How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps…
I always look forward to the release of the Women’s Prize longlist, because I get to cheer for the authors I’ve already read, and discover a bunch of new ones. I know I won’t love every book on the list, but I always end up with a few new favorites, so it’s worth it. The…
I had mixed feelings about this book, which was on this year’s Women’s Prize longlist. I’m interested in stories about struggling relationships, so the idea of this book that tells the story of a divorcing couple from both perspectives was an interesting one. But while it had some really interesting bits, and some thoughtful insights…
Every year I put a lot of Women’s Prize nominees on my TBR list. Early in the calendar year, the Women’s Prize announces its longlist of 16 books. These are books written by women and published in the previous year. They must be written in English but they can be from any part of the…
I enjoyed and appreciated this character-driven family drama by Claire Lombardo. I read it for my book club, which didn’t end up happening last month, and that was actually good because I never would have finished in time. It’s a long one — but for those who like complicated family dramas that cover many years,…
My favorite book list of the year is The Women’s Prize longlist, which will be announced March 3. These are sixteen novels that are in the running to win the Prize, and I get a lot of great reads from this list (though I’m often disappointed by the shortlist). Last year’s longlist included Ghost Wall,…
Every year I read as much of the Women’s Prize longlist as I can. Not for any challenge, but just because it’s a great source of reading material and one that continues to get more diverse. It doesn’t matter much to me who makes the shortlist or wins the prize, although I really liked this…
I loved the way this book begins, because I identified very much with Marianne, one of its two narrators. Marianne and Connell are two teens in a small town in Ireland. Marianne is smart, independent, and proud, but has no friends at school. Connell is popular and outgoing, and like many teens he worries a…
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is ten books on our Spring TBR list. I have three ARCs, and I’m particularly excited to read Sally Rooney: Trust Exercise by Susan Choi Normal People by Sally Rooney The Farm by Joanne Ramos I need to make a bigger dent in my…
I loved this book, set in 18th century England, about a lonely merchant who comes upon a mermaid that changes his life. Gowar’s debut novel is one of those rare books you can’t possibly categorize – is it historical fiction, fantasy, romance, or just literature? I heard of this book when it was nominated and…
Note: The Book Stop is on vacation! This post was written in advance, which means I won’t be responding to comments. But thanks for reading. Wow. If I had to pick a favorite book of the year, so far, this would be it. Everything about this book exceeded my expectations, even though acclaim for this…
This was not just a long novel, it’s a BIG one. Big ideas, big characters, and a story you’ll be thinking about long after you read the book. The Goldfinch starts with a 13 year old boy, Theo, losing his beloved mother in a museum bombing. Sadly, his life doesn’t get any easier from there. …
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I read, breathe, and live in bookish worlds.
Book Reviews
"Books are a uniquely portable magic" - Stephen King
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"She had read novels while other people perused the Sunday papers" - Mary Elizabeth Braddon
"The world was hers for the reading."
Thoughts on Literature, Expressing Creativity, Being Authentic
books, libraries, life
