Camila's Story

 Nonfiction by Louise Allen

https://www.amazon.com

I categorized this book as nonfiction because that's what it is supposed to be; however, it is at least half fiction. I like this author and her stories, but she writes about things that she can't possibly know the truth about as if they are facts. For example, much of this particular book is from the point of view of Camila's parents. It makes a good story, but it is not nonfiction.

That being said, this is still a pretty good story...

I also read by this author: Milo's Story

Stay

 Fiction by Catherine Ryan Hyde

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

In 1969, fourteen-year-old Lucas Painter discovers several new things: that he loves running, that his best friend is severely depressed, and that he (Lucas) can make a difference in the lives of others.

This was a lovely story with beautifully-drawn characters.

I also read recently by this author: Don't Let Me Go

Secrets at the Beach House

 Fiction by Diane Chamberlain

https://www.amazon.com

Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors, and this is her VERY FIRST book. It's been renamed and re-released (originally it was called Private Relations) but the foreword assures me that the author only added an epilogue and didn't change the original manuscript. I'm taking her word for that, since I can't verify it.

In this story, a young woman named Kit takes a new job at a hospital in a new town and moves into a large house in the beach with three other people who work at the same hospital: a married couple and another woman. 

There is a fourth roommate, a doctor, but he has been working abroad for a year, and Kit is decidedly nervous when he is due to come back. Everyone seems to love this guy so much, Kit knows, and she is worried that they won't hit it off. She is right to worry, because they actually hit it off a little too well and upset things in the house quite a bit.

This was a good character story, although it's not as wonderful as Diane Chamberlain's later books.

I also read by this author: Brass Ring

Ghost

 Fiction by Robert Harris

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This "ghost" in the name of this book isn't a noncorporeal entity. Instead, the title refers to a ghostwriter. 

In this story, former British prime minister Adam Lang has been paid an exorbitant sum for his memoirs and is running close to the deadline when his trusted-aide-tuned-ghostwriter apparently commits suicide with the book unfinished. At that point, our unnamed protagonist ("the Ghost"--get it?) gets the assignment, complete with a promise of a huge payoff if he delivers the finished work in thirty days.

But our friend the Ghost has an nearly impossible task ahead: not only is the existing manuscript terribly written, but also the subject of the memoirs is elusive, able to carry on long conversations without actually saying anything at all. Plus it's starting to look like the first ghostwriter didn't kill himself after all.

This was an interesting book with a surprise ending, but almost no sympathetic characters.

Missing Sister

 Fiction by Joshilyn Jackson

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Penny's twin sister Nix died tragically five years ago, and Penny has been floundering ever since. Now she's embarking on a new career as a police officer, hoping to bring some kind of justice into the world and at least partially assuage her guilt for not being able to save her sister. 

But then she gets her very first murder case, and the victim is not a stranger. In fact it's one of the very people Penny holds morally responsible for Nix's death. Penny didn't kill him, obviously, but neither is she particularly interested in bringing the guy's killer to justice. She also wants to keep her new job... or does she?

This was a really good book, as expected from this fabulous author.

I also read by this author: The Opposite of Everyone

Dungeon Crawler Carl

 Audible Original Fiction by Matt Dinniman

https://www.audible.com

What if aliens took over our planet and killed most of the people, and then pitted the survivors against one another in a real-life role-playing video game, broadcast all over the galaxy for their entertainment?

Then you get Dungeon Crawler Carl, a crazily entertaining story of a human and his cat trapped in an underground world and trying to survive.

This was an exciting story that kept me guessing, and it had some very funny parts too!

I also listened to from Audible Originals: Don't Let Me Go

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