The Knockout Queen

 Fiction by Rufi Thorpe

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This story is about Bunny Lampert, an amazing girl who is tall and strong, beautiful and rich, but also insecure and nearly friendless. But Bunny does have one real friend, a boy named Michael who lives next door, relying on the tenuous goodwill of his aunt. Michael is fascinated by Bunny and cares deeply about being a good friend to her, but he is also quite preoccupied with staying safely in the closet in order to keep his place to live.

This is an incredibly good character story that makes the reader truly invested in both Bunny and Michael. I loved it, but it also was pretty heartbreaking.

I also read by this author: Margo's Got Money Troubles

Life and Other Inconveniences

 Fiction by Kristan Higgins

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Emma London is doing fine nowadays with her teenage daughter Riley, although some thought Emma would never survive when she first became pregnant as a teenager herself. Chief among the naysayers was Emma's wealthy grandmother Genevieve London, who had raised Emma since the age of eight. After over fifteen years of silence, however, now Genevieve is suddenly calling to ask Emma to come home.

Emma is proud to have never needed her grandmother's help, and she is unprepared when the old woman might need help herself.  Will she forgive old hurts and try to repair their relationship?

This was a really good character story with some romance.

I also read by this author: Pack Up the Moon

The Unsinkable Greta James

 Fiction by Jennifer E. Smith

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Greta James is a successful independent rock artist with one hit album and another due to come out soon, but the death of her mother several months ago has put her into a bit of a tailspin. Now her brother Travis is urging her to go on an Alaskan cruise, of all things, in order to accompany her dad. It was supposed to have been an anniversary trip for her parents and their couple friends, and Travis thinks it's a bad idea to let their father go alone. Although Greta has never had the greatest relationship with her dad, she agrees to go, hoping they can learn to get along without Mom as buffer.

This was a sweet story about mending old relationships and maybe forging new ones.

I also read by this author: Fun for the Whole Family

Fun for the Whole Family

 Fiction by Jennifer E. Smith

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

The four Endicott siblings grew up together more or less normally, until Gemma, the oldest, was 12. At that point their mother Frankie disappeared from their lives to pursue Art, leaving them with a dad who worked all the time and only reappearing for summer visits. For the next seven summers, Frankie would take them on a whirlwind road trip, darting randomly around the country with the vague goal of eventually visiting all fifty states.

As adults the siblings remained close until a big fight blew a hole in their relationship. Then Jude, the youngest of the kids, makes a big effort to get everyone back together in North Dakota of all places. Secrets will soon come out...

This was a really well-written bunch of characters. I really liked this book.

The Opposite of Everyone

 Fiction by Joshilyn Jackson

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Paula Vauss was born in Alabama while her sixteen-year-old mother was in juvie. Her mother Kai wanted to name her after a Hindu goddess, but nobody listened to that. As soon as Kai turned eighteen and was released, she retrieved Paula and set out on a weird itinerant lifestyle that eventually landed her in grown-up jail and sent Paula to foster care.

Now Paula is an adult and working as a divorce lawyer. She sends her mother money but hasn't spoken to her for fifteen years. But as the reader knows, the past will often come back to haunt you...

This was a really good story with great characters. I loved it!

I also read by this author: With My Little Eye