Live Vicariously Through Unforgettable Characters
It doesn’t take far-flung galaxies or alternate universes for literary fiction to be utterly transporting. Sometimes it’s all about experiencing a new perspective through characters that become as real to us as our own friends. These recommended novels will immerse you in the lives of these characters, staying as real as ever in your mind long after the last page.
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Add to BookshelfLittle Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng
Family intrigue, betrayal, prejudice, love, and secrets… if you haven’t already read this book, I don’t know what to tell you! Get a copy so you can talk about it with literally everyone else. It was an instant bestseller and only became more popular when Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington adapted it for Hulu. It’s an exciting plot, but the real power comes from the nuanced mother-daughter relationships.
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$17.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: Reese’s Book Club
by Gail Honeyman
This is one of those books that everyone seems to love, regardless of their usual reading habits. Eleanor is a lovably odd, relatably flawed character who has to learn to open herself up to others because protecting yourself from the whole world means you’re hiding from the good stuff too.
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$18.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Vanishing Half
by Brit Bennett
An instant #1 New York Times bestselling novel! Brit Bennett follows up her very popular debut, The Mothers, with a story about a pair of twins. We follow the sisters from the 1950s through the 1990s as they lead very different lives – one sister lives in their hometown and the other lives as a white woman, passing in a town that doesn’t know her past.
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$27.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Red at the Bone
by Jacqueline Woodson
Woodson packs so much heart and history and love into this slim novel. It moves backward and forward in time, spinning out from an unwanted pregnancy, and shining a light onto one family’s dynamics. The characters carry the weight of expectations and hope for the next generation.
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$26.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Such a Fun Age: Reese’s Book Club
by Kiley Reid
This book is so good, you’ll most likely read it in one sitting. Emira, a young black woman, babysits for a wealthy white family, and, when she’s caught up in a racist confrontation, her employer is aghast. This empathetic novel is not only a commentary on race and privilege in America but also a thoughtful coming of age story.
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$26.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Daisy Jones & The Six: Reese’s Book Club
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Told as an oral history of a ground-breaking 1970’s rock band, this novel is completely transportive. There’s sex, drugs, and rock and roll, obviously, but there’s also real tenderness between the characters, genuine heartbreak, and songwriting that leaps off the page.
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$17.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Behold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue
A young Cameroonian couple arrives in the United States with dreams of a better life. They find employment with a wealthy family, but when the Great Recession hits, everything starts to fall apart. Deftly written, and deeply felt, it’s just a wonderful read. Trust us on this one.
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$18.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Read with Jenna Pick
by Linda Holmes
A breath of fresh air—this rom-com is exactly what we want out of a summer read. A young widower starts to come out of her shell when a professional baseball player moves to town. It’s seriously sweet and funny.
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$19.00Buy from Other Retailers:
