Clearly, along with the slippery slope fallacy, the recency fallacy structures my thinking, since three of thise books are from last month. But!! My favorite book is one I read all the way back in FEBRUARY, and I encountered my number ten last JANUARY!
Runners Up: The Most by Jessica Anthony; Colored Television by Danzy Senna; God of the Woods by Liz Moore; Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange; Leaving by Roxana Robinson; The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson; The Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
10. Family Family by Laurie Frankel: Maybe I put this one on the list because this author is a favorite of mine. But probably it was also because the characters in this sweet, small story stayed with me all year.
9. I Want You More by Swan Huntley: This book has a FABULOUS concept, and the kinky, murderous Ree Drummond character was a blast—I also remembered this weird little book fondly for months.
8. Annie Bot by Sierra Godfrey: THIS BOOKS WAS INCREDIBLE, and I could not get Annie the sentient sex bot out of my head— or her sad dumb boyfriend, either.
7. All Fours by Miranda July: What in the actual? THIS BOOK IS SO WEIRD, and the main character is so unlikable but also strangely relatable because menopause is bananas.
6. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout : Oh, Lucy! Oh, Bob! A cameo from Amy and Isabelle, even? And Olive is still kicking— this books was a dream.
5. Same as it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo: The very end of this book makes the whole thing EVEN BETTER. I sobbed my face off and still think of this story and its narrator.
4. Hum by Helen Phillips: Dystopian fiction just hits different during End Times, you know? I think of the Hums every time Minnie talks with Alexa.
3. The Wedding People by Alison Espach: My very favorite parts of this book were the ones where Phoebe describes the academic circles of hell she lives in. TOO REAL.
2. Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell: Everything about this middle aged story of potential squandered and the magic of settling appealed to me FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. Also NO ONE does dialog better than this author.
1. Come and Get It by Kiley Reid: THIS IS GENIUS. A wildly entertaining story set in academia (my fave) with some very sharp race/class/gender analysis. Reid skewers college parents, college kids— all of us, really. I also love that it is coming-of-age story even though the characters are older than usual— SICK BURN.