Fiction is any creative, narrative work—primarily in prose, such as novels and short stories—that portrays imaginary characters, events, or places rather than factual, real-life accounts. It is characterized by imagined narratives designed for entertainment or thematic exploration, including genres like fantasy, mystery, and romance. Synonyms include story, novel, fabrication, fable, and tale.
An alien comes to Earth expecting the worst of humanity. Instead, he discovers poetry, peanut butter, and a few reasons to stick around. Matt Haig’s The Humans is a funny, feel-good read with some thoughtful reminders about what makes life worth living.
Read a translated book, because English is not the only language great literature is produced in! You might even find a new favorite author.
Explore love stories that are platonic, friendships, familial love, love of nature or an animal companion, self-love, and even love for our hobbies.
A remote island, a missing patient, and a psychological thriller everyone seems to know. Shutter Island had the ingredients I wanted, but did it deliver? Here’s what worked, what didn’t, and why I left wanting more.
Motherhood is as nuanced as every individual who is, wants to be, or has a mother. As a theme, this is a source that never seems to run dry. Let’s dig into it!
The cover of Strange Houses immediately caught my attention. Floor plans, a strange mystery, visual puzzles? Sign me up. Unfortunately, the book inside didn’t quite live up to the intriguing package. Here’s why this short Japanese mystery left me disappointed.
Island settings create a sense of isolation that can heighten drama, create a sense of escape, a unique set of challenges, or an opportunity to gain insight into island cultures or environments.
I expected Nomad to be a quiet story about grief and life in the Arizona desert. I didn’t expect it to hit quite so close to home. Cynthia A. Johnstone’s debut surprised me with its beautiful writing, complicated characters, and one very persistent stray dog. Here’s why this one stayed with me.
Looking to read a whole book in one sitting? Have I got a list for you! These short books are all well-rated, represent a variety of genres, and under 200 pages!
I probably wouldn’t have picked up *Rainwater* on my own.
I’d never read Sandra Brown, barely knew what the book was about, and wasn’t looking for a Depression-era historical romance. But a friend sent it to me as part of an annotated book exchange, and suddenly the reading experience became about more than the story.
*Rainwater* took me into a Texas I hadn’t encountered much in fiction, where drought, poverty, prejudice, and desperation shape everyday life. It’s a quiet story with a memorable cast, an unexpected twist, and a few things that didn’t quite work for me.
But the best part? Reading a book covered in someone else’s notes felt surprisingly intimate, like getting to experience the story alongside my friend even though we live in different states.
Read my review of *Rainwater* and find out why this was a book I wouldn’t have chosen for myself, but was glad to read.