The Cactus League
Emily Nemens
Spring training in Arizona, told through a whole cast — a star player unraveling, an aging coach, an agent in decline. Even if you don't love baseball, the characters carry it.
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★ 5Writers & Lovers
Lily King
The protagonist of Lily King’s novel Writers & Lovers lives in Cambridge, too, but Casey is older than Becky, a little more rudderless. Her mother has just died, her boyfriend has broken up with her, and she’s living in a garden shed splitting her time between waitressing and writing. It sounds depressing. It’s not. Casey’s wit, relatability, and dogged ambition make her easy to spend time with, and I ended the book almost hoping I’d run into her in Harvard Square.
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Anthony Marra
Set during the Chechen wars, and somehow both devastating and full of grace. One of the best debuts I've read.
Deep Cuts
Holly Brickley
Two music-obsessed college kids in the early 2000s bond over songs, collaborate, and fall into something complicated. Each chapter is named for a track, and there's a real playlist to go with it. So fun.