Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (2018)

Every time Liane Moriarty comes up, I feel a little glow of having 'discovered' her with her first novel Three Wishes (2004!) Every single novel since then has been a treat.

Rich characterizations and complex relationships in unique situations are Moriarty's stock in trade. This novel is no different and has a particularly unique setting. Nine strangers meet at a health resort. Secrets unfold. Unexpected things happen. AND there's a kickass, menopausal, romance writer heroine called Frances. 

Endearing, absorbing, and so readable.

Going Into Town by Roz Chast (2017)

Subtitled: A Love Letter to New York and it couldn't be more so.

I adore Roz Chast and I love her New York. She created this guide for her daughter and expanded it into a quirky, funny, affectionate graphic memoir. I absolutely agree with her and her statement of how she "really likes density of visual information" and it's one of the reasons I love NYC.

Also, this:

“I feel about Manhattan the way I feel about a book, a TV series, a movie, a play, an artist, a song, a food, a whatever that I love. I want to tell you about it so that maybe you will love it, too. I'm not worried about it being 'ruined' by too many people 'discovering' it. Manhattan's been ruined since 1626 , when Peter Minuit bought it from Native Americans for $24.00.”

See also Chast's Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? 

For more NYC love, see Apple of My Eye by Helene Hanff and Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart. 

Choose Your Own Disaster by Dana Schwartz (2018)

Hilariously and descriptively subtitled: A. A Memoir, B. A Personality Quiz, C. A Mostly True and Completely Honest Look at One Young Woman's Attempt to Find Herself, D. All of the Above.

This millennial memoir is written in a cute Choose Your Own Adventure style and the writing transcends the gimmick. Quirky look at being in one's twenties and modern feminism.

Schwartz gained fame as the creator of @GuyInYourMFA on Twitter and I'm adding her book The White Man's Guide to White Male Writers of the Western Canon to my read-now list. 

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (2018)

“Ayoola summons me with these words—Korede, I killed him. I'd hoped I would never hear those words again."

Fantastic short novel about Korede and her sister Ayoola, the serial killer of the title, who keeps murdering her boyfriends. Korede is left to clean up the messes. When Ayoola starts to date Korede's longtime crush, things get especially complicated and messy. SO readable, engaging, and gripping, and the setting of Lagos is vivid and fascinating. 

Looking forward to Treasure and The Baby Is Mine, out in 2020.

Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco (1973)

Although this haunted (hungry) house story is from 1973, it's not remotely dated (apart from the smoking) and holds up beautifully. A family moves into a beautiful estate home for the summer and the wife becomes obsessed with the home and caring for it, as well as for the old woman who lives there. Meanwhile, things get weirder and weirder for her husband, her child and their aunt. 

Did I mention that it is genuinely creepy? Definitely a great follow-up to The Haunting of Hill House.

One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau (2010)

Short but spooky novel about Jackie and Ann, two schoolgirls, each with their own issues. 

Although this is a short book, it packs a LOT of spooky tableaus into its few pages. Kind of bananas, but well-told.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren (2018)

I so, so love Christina Lauren. Hazel is a kind of wacky woman, who admits that she's way too much. She gets back in touch with her crush years later, Josh, but is really worried that she'll become too much for him as well. So they try and set each other up with other people, which does not work at all. Because they can't deny their attraction and affection! 

Love it. Slow build, but hot love scenes, plus wonderfully rich characters. Heart heart heart.

"The way Emily describes it: when I meet someone I love, I become an octopus and wind my tentacles around their heart, tighter and tighter until they can't deny they love me just the same." (p. 9)

"Dinner parties at my apartment consist of paper plates, boxed win, and the last three minutes before serving featuring me running around like a maniac because I burned the lasagna, insisting I DON'T NEED ANY HELP JUST SIT DOWN AND RELAX."

Half Past by Victoria Helen Stone (2017)

A little mystery, a little romance, I'm really loving Stone's novels. Plus, this one is about a doomsday cult! I love a good doomsday cult story! 

Also, I love that she writes about 45-year-old women who are looking for answers about their lives AND maybe get a little action as well. Really well done.

Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone (2018)

Surprisingly readable novel about Jane, a woman who takes a leave of absence from her job to exact revenge against the man who broke up with her best friend, which led to her suicide. She seduces this man and plots her revenge, but the part that kept me reading was Jane's internal monologues diagnosing her own sociopathy. 

Absolutely fascinating. AND, the author is Victoria Dahl, who writes terrific romances that include older, non-traditional heroines. So fun!

Ooh, there's a sequel! Problem Child (2020).

Social Creature by Tara Isabelle Burton (2018)

Eminently readable contemporary novel about Louise, a nearly 30-year-old struggling writer in NYC who meets manic pixie party girl Lavinia, with whom she becomes fast friends. Lots of wild parties and reckless spending ensues. 

About halfway through the book, the story takes a dark twist. Pretty fun and interesting.