The writing is so spare it makes the horrors of war that much more deeply felt. A hardly-known but absolutely true story of the sinking of passenger ship(s) during WWII, told through four narrators, each with a burden of guilt and shame for unrelated pasts. Novelization, not nonfiction.

A sweet YA read about a childhood friendship that weathers a kidnapping/custody issue that creates a huge gap in their lives. Brought up very interesting family and custody dynamics, and the teens have West Wing-level dry wit. Would recommend for actual YA readers, not so much for adults.

I can't remember the last time a book insisted I blow off everything else and read for hours. This stunning novel is the current Great Michigan Read, but I left it sitting in my stack of To Read for months until I saw friends declare it a thing of beauty and power, and is it ever. Lyrical, perfect.

"She has saved this town and its people from countless monsters countless times. That the battles are usually in her head does not lessen the bravery of it. The hardest battles always are."

I could not put it down. This should operate as required reading before Unbroken. The writing is spare and sometimes non-linear, but the subject matter--the pilots of WWII--is compelling and insightful. Also heartbreaking.

Not exactly what I was expecting--I do not do the Zombie Apocalypse. But this book used it as a backdrop to tell a story I hadn't heard before and didn't know I needed until the last pages. I'll definitely put this on my classroom shelf next year.

"Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class."
Starting this while I get ready to road trip to the beach. Chilling and thrilling are exactly the taste of summer I need with two school days left.

Two brothers and their wives and families share a duplex--but the wives share a secret so powerful it broke my heart. I wanted to be in this family, joyful and real and messy; and then I wanted to fix it all so they wouldn't have to grieve. I hated to see this one end.

"Carry us, marry us, ferry us, bury us; those are our four ways to exodus, for now."

"A little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick)." I loved the way so much of what Seth Godin writes feels true in my bones, like I've known this forever on some level, or like a sculptor uncovers what is already living in the marble. I may start giving this book for grad gifts.

I couldn't put this one down. What an original voice! And a great look at mental illness and its impact on family.

Reading for the dozenth time because I used it for a book talk for my class last week and then couldn't put it back down. I love every word.