Loved this one quite a bit, always been a huge fan of robot stories and their ability to question what makes us human, and this one does a good job with it. Also very refreshing to see a robot story that isn't about them going rogue or otherwise revolting against humanity, instead asking "what would it look like if a robot had limitless love for its human?"

Second in the series. A man is poisoned by a cup of coffee he made himself while home alone. His wife was on another island at the time. The man’s girlfriend is the one who finds his body. And the lead detective is falling in love with the new widow. Seems like it’s a case of murder, but the police cannot find proof or even a solid motive. They’ll eventually need the help of the physics professor who has helped on past cases.

I didn’t like my because each page was a different story

At the insistence of her ex, writer Lucy Barton leaves NYC at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and moves with him to a seaside house in Maine. There they spend weeks in lockdown, visiting their children only sporadically. We see pandemic restrictions through their eyes: empty store shelves, masking, washing hands - and clothes after a trip to the grocery store - and distrust of outsiders. As weeks turn to months, each ponders their shared future, their past in NYC, and the complications and unhappy surprises as 2020 becomes 2021. Readers need not have read other Strout novels to enjoy this book, but those who have already met Lucy will appreciate this deep dive into her life.

I read this book because it was an Indie Next pick for May and I wanted to mix it up with a memoir/nonfiction read. I was unfamiliar with the author’s podcast but I loved the idea of a bookseller’s book. I felt like Annie was relatable. I appreciated her perspective on church. Overall, I thought she had a clear voice that will resonate with some but maybe not work for others. I listened to the audiobook on Libby.

L

I loved this book because it was very funny and entertaining! It is about a girl who goes to Paris and runs into so many surprises on the way! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story!

I read this book because I was looking to fulfill a book bingo challenge to read a book published in 1985. I have seen the movie a couple times so it was fun to revisit Kiki’s magical world in audiobook form. This is a short, cozy, whimsical read.

A stand-alone title from Strout’s that takes readers into the past when a newly qualified minister and his young wife move to a small village in Maine. Disaster strikes the minister’s young family, leaving them in turmoil. Rumors spread through the village and the minister’s future seems uncertain. This is an engaging story about community, faith, friendship, love, families, and life.

This Magic Treehouse book was very informative- covering the harsh conditions and cruelty of the Civil War. Jack and Annie meet Clara Barton and (mild spoiler) a distant ancestor. My 4.5yo thought this book was tragic but interesting.