Literary Fiction

Genre:
This category requires stories that are character-driven, not plot driven, and are more serious and introspective in tone. It refers to novels that take place in the world we know, usually in the modern day, with character-driven “slice of life” storytelling.

Remarkably Bright Creatures Book Review: Is This Overhyped Bestseller Worth Reading?

Remarkably Bright Creatures Book Review: Is This Overhyped Bestseller Worth Reading?

Everyone seemed to love Remarkably Bright Creatures. It was a bestseller, a book club pick, and eventually a Netflix adaptation. So when I finally picked it up, I expected to understand exactly why readers had fallen for it.

Instead, I finished with a slightly more complicated reaction.

I liked it. I appreciated it. I even found myself thinking about its themes long after I finished reading.

But I didn’t quite love it the way I expected to.

In my latest review, I’m talking about what worked for me, what didn’t, and why sometimes the most interesting reading experiences happen when your opinion doesn’t quite match the hype.

Beloved Book Review: Why Toni Morrison’s Classic Demands More Than Just Your Time

Beloved Book Review: Why Toni Morrison’s Classic Demands More Than Just Your Time

Readers sometimes ask whether a classic really deserves its reputation.

After finishing *Beloved*, my answer is yes… with one important caveat.

This isn’t simply a book you read. It’s a book you carry. In my newest review, I’m sharing what landed for me, what didn’t, and why choosing *when* to read this novel may matter just as much as choosing to read it at all.

Chain-Gang All-Stars Book Review: The Most Devastating Novel I’ve Read This Year

Chain-Gang All-Stars Book Review: The Most Devastating Novel I’ve Read This Year

I picked up *Chain-Gang All-Stars* to fulfill a reading challenge prompt and ended up discovering one of the most powerful novels I’ve read in years.

It’s brutal. It’s brilliant. And thanks to its use of footnotes, the line between dystopian fiction and reality becomes increasingly difficult to ignore.

In my latest review, I’m sharing why this story worked so well, what made the footnotes unforgettable, and why this is a book I’ll be carrying with me for a long time.

Read the full review →

Good Dirt Review: The Heirloom Jar at the Center of a Beautifully Layered Family Story

Good Dirt Review: The Heirloom Jar at the Center of a Beautifully Layered Family Story

When an heirloom survives generations, what happens when it breaks?

This week on Lacey In The Library, I’m reviewing *Good Dirt* by Charmaine Wilkerson, a literary family saga that weaves together grief, history, race, and a centuries-old jar carrying more than family memories. It didn’t completely break my heart the way I expected, but it gave me plenty to think about.

Read the full review to see what worked, what wobbled, and whether this acclaimed bestseller belongs on your TBR.