Category Archives: Literary Fiction

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Posted on February 10, 2017 by bseat

Sometimes you have complicated feelings about a book. I certainly do about this Pulitzer Prize winning novel about the Vietnam War narrated by a Vietnamese communist sleeper agent. Wonderfully written, dark, evocative, satirical and suspenseful; there is much to savor … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Prize Winner, Spy/Covert Operatives, Suspense | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift

Posted on January 13, 2017 by bseat

On March 30, 1924, on what was known then as Mothering Sunday, Jane’s life changed dramatically. It was a gorgeous day, more like June than March and the Nivens were having the cook pack a large picnic hamper in anticipation … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Posted on December 16, 2016 by bseat

Ove is a curmudgeon. He is resented by the neighbors for his relentless enforcement of the rules in the neighborhood. Every day he makes reconnaissance tours, morning and evening, taking down license numbers of cars who are parked illegally or … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction | Tagged | Leave a comment

Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

Posted on November 25, 2016 by bseat

Books about war are often peopled with characters who are unbelievably courageous or ignominious cowards right from the very beginning, cheating the reader of knowing why they became that way. In Everyone Brave is Forgiven, however, Cleave sets up a much … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Speak: A novel by Louisa Hall

Posted on November 4, 2016 by bseat

What makes us human? What is memory? What is the difference between the human mind and Artificial Intelligence? Interesting questions to raise as we be come more and more dependent on Siri (and the like) to manage our lives or … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Eileen, A Novel by Ottessa Moshfegh

Posted on September 30, 2016 by bseat

“My name was Eileen Dunlop…I was twenty-four years old and had a job that paid fifty-seven dollars a week as a kind of secretary at a private juvenile correctional facility for teen age boys…In a week I would run away … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Psychological Mystery, Suspense | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Return by Michael Gruber

Posted on September 23, 2016 by bseat

What would it take to galvanize you to do what you had put off doing for most of your life? What would it take to make you think that now was the time to seek vengeance from those who inflicted … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Psychological Mystery, Suspense, Thriller | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Posted on September 16, 2016 by bseat

Lo Blacklock has been given the chance of a lifetime.  She is going on the maiden voyage of the exclusive cruise ship, Aurora!  With only a handful of rooms and no expense spared, this is a cruise ship that will … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Mystery, Suspense | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

Posted on August 26, 2016 by bseat

In 1631 Sara de Vos became the first woman member of the artist Guild of St Luke in Amsterdam.  Known for her lovely still lifes and other indoor scenes, Sara quickly made a name for herself.  But one evening Sara … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Last Child by John Hart

Posted on July 29, 2016 by bseat

Johnny is sure that his twin sister, Alyssa is still alive. Missing for almost a year now, he still continues to search for her even as his world has crumbled around him.  First his father disappeared and Katherine Merrimon, Johnny’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Prize Winner, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment