Laila Lalami's novel The Dream Hotel explores the growing reach of technology and the extent it infringes on our privacy, and ultimately, our freedom. In The Dream Hotel, Lalami asks, "What if someday even dreams are monitored?" Then, takes it one step further, asking, "What if our dreams can indict us?"

In an interview (https://lailalalami.com/the-dream-hotel/q-a/), the author indicated her intention was to write a "futuristic novel tethered to a recognizable present." She certainly succeeds, as the depiction of a highly surveilled carceral society is troublingly plausible.

Would shelf this alongside Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or George Orwell's 1984 for its thought-provoking premise. However, I did find the ending somewhat abrupt and anti-climactic.

Anne Bogel describes compulsively readable literary fiction as "serious" novels that probe human nature and focus on the interior lives of characters while also being "page-turners" that make you want to know what happens next. Stealing by Margaret Verble falls into that category, delivering both meaning and entertainment.

Verble authentically captures the voice and perspective of Kit, the child narrator, a character that reminded me of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. I found Verble's writing insightful and enjoyable, and am looking forward to reading more from her backlist. I appreciated how she addressed moral issues without moralizing. I would recommend Stealing to fans of This Tender Land or the Nickel Boys.

The third and final installment of Jane Harper's Aaron Falk series was an enjoyable read, and can stand alone. The story builds slowly, as small town secrets are revealed. Characters and setting are well-developed.

Secrets and sadness, loss and connection, resilience and revelations -- just a few of the many things that Emily Spurr writes of so eloquently and authentically in A Million Things. She explores grief and loneliness without melodrama, leaving room for hope and happiness. Highly recommended.

Clarke combines elements of fantasy and mystery in a wholly original and thoroughly intriguing tale. Through the limited point of view of the journal entries of the narrator, mockingly named Piranesi by the "Other," the reader is drawn into a labyrinthine world inhabited by statues and skeletons, and ruled by the tides. The reader senses there is a larger story in play that is slowly and satisfyingly revealed. Ambiguous and atmospheric, I'd recommend this book for readers seeking portals into other worlds, who don't mind being somewhat disoriented upon first entering.

Beautifully written reflection on love and loss, on what happens when one veers from the narrow path and asks, "Well, let's see what love can do."

American Dirt is an intimate, authentic, compelling story of anguish and hope, of triumph over extraordinary trauma. A compelling and timely story of the often inconceivable hardships faced by asylum seekers, American Dirt is challenging without being preachy or moralistic. In the author's note, Cummins writes that she is "acutely aware that the people coming to our southern border are not one faceless brown mass but singular individuals, with stories and backgrounds and reasons for coming that are unique." She hoped "to present one of those unique personal stories -- a work of fiction -- as a way to honor the hundreds of thousands of stores we may never get to hear". That she did. This was an extraordinary book that lives up to the hype.

Funny, warm, weird, strange, absurd, witty, heart-warming, quirky, charming ... a gem. The strange premise of spontaneously combustible children somehow never degenerates into ridiculousness. Fans of Kevin Wilson will not be disappointed.

... you make it." -- Ansel Adams. Sold on a Monday relates the unintended consequences that follow when a young, ambitious reporter stages a photo of two children. Set during the Great Depression, I found the book entertaining and engaging, but not transporting. The characters, while believable, struck me as types. Told in alternating points of view, it was a fast and enjoyable read.

Vox by Christina Dalcher poses the question, "If you had only one hundred words a day,what would you do to be heard? Promoted as a re-imagining of The Handmaid's Tale, I found the premise intriguing, but the execution disappointing. There is no doubt that the book was intended as Dalcher writes in "A note from the author," as "a cautionary tale, a warning call about gender politics and backlash and cultural shift." The heavy-handed writing left little room to doubt that. Lacking subtlety and nuance, both character and plot lacked believability.