Dear Edward

 Fiction by Anne Napolitano

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

My favorite way to read a novel is to go into it blind. That is, ideally, I prefer to start reading without knowing anything about the characters or plot beforehand. However, in practice, there's no way for me to choose books to read without looking at synopses, reviews, or the like. But sometimes I have a pile of books and I don't remember anything about why I chose a particular one; that way I can get the "going in blind" experience on some of them.

All of that to say.... I didn't remember what this book was about when I started reading. It captured me immediately with some diverse character descriptions of a group of people getting on a plane. I was feeling pleasantly engaged with these nice people, and then I thought, wait. Why am I just getting little snippets about each person? What is this book about again? 

I looked at the synopsis on the back and realized it was about a plane crash. ALL OF THESE NICE FOLKS WERE GOING TO DIE. Except one, the eponymous Edward, because that's what the book was about.

Well. That was a tough one. I had to put the book aside for a minute and adjust.

I'm glad I picked it back up again though, because this was a lovely emotional story that really made me think. The little blurb on the cover about breaking your heart and putting it back together again is apt. I definitely recommend this story!

Run

Fiction by Blake Crouch.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This was an exciting and fast-paced thriller about a family fleeing an unknown threat that is sweeping the nation, turning ordinary people into crazed killers.

I also read recently by this author: Dark Matter

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands

Fiction by Chris Bohjalian

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

In this story, Chernobyl-like nuclear plant accident happens in Vermont, forcing a whole town to evacuate and throwing the area into chaos.

The focus in on Emily, a teenage girl with her life upended by the accident and rendered homeless like many others. But Emily is a little different than the other "walkers," as the displaced persons are called. Because Emily's father was in charge of the plant and everyone blames his negligence for the meltdown.

This was a really absorbing story, and I liked the characters. Still, it was awfully sad.

I also read recently by this author: The Flight Attendant

Find Me

Fiction by Laura van den Berg.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

At the beginning of this story, a plague has wiped out half of America's population. Unfortunately, the book does not improve from there, and the whole thing is very bleak. FYI: Don't stick around after the plague, folks. It stinks.

You may wonder why I would expect a dystopian novel like this to ever be anything but awful. (Remember The Water Knife? That was worse than this one.) I mean, if I know going in that it's about a disastrous future, why read it?

But the thing is, some stories about a terrible future are actually good. See The Stand  by Stephen King for a much better after-the-plague story, or Life as We Knew It  for young adults. And there's always Divergent!

The Sky Unwashed

Fiction By Irene Zabytko.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

Chernobyl in 1986. I am old enough to remember the horrible nuclear accident there, but it was so far removed from my young American "real" life at the time, I don't know much about it.

This book gives a firsthand (novelized) account of the people involved. It's amazingly affecting.

A short but powerful book, also recommended by my online book club.