The Fraud

by Zadie Smith Format: Physical Book Primary Doorways: Character Genre: Historical Fiction Read for: Revelations about being human While Mrs. Lewes only shows up once or twice in Zadie Smith’s novel, The Fraud, her most famous (?) novel, Middlemarch is abundantly present. Middlemarch is subtitled “the study of a provincial life” and Smith continues that […]

Open Throat by Henry Hoke

by Henry Hoke Format: Physical Book Primary Doorways: Language/Character Genre: Low Fantasy/Literary Fiction Read for: Poetic ambiance and unusual narrator Henry Hoke’s novel Open Throat was selected by Carly for the first Best Book Club Ever pick of 2024. Carly and Henry worked together at UVA’s young writer program and Henry was able to join […]

Nona the Ninth

by Tamsyn Muir Format: Audiobook Primary Doorways: Plot, Setting Genre: High Fantasy Read for: Characters you like so much you’re sad to be parted from them by the book ending. Note: 3rd in a series. Not a standalone. Tamsyn Muir’s Nona the Ninth is the third book of four in the Locked Tomb series. Knowing […]

Holly by Stephen King

Format: Audiobook Primary Doorways: Character, Plot Genre: Horror/Thriller Read for: Page turner with strong character voices and a side note of poetry-love Favorably reviewed in the NYT, Stephen King novel’s Holly, follows the titular character during her investigation into the disappearance of a young woman in a college town. I never had any doubt that […]