by Kate Folk
Random House, 2025. 352 pages. Fiction
Linda has a thing for planes; their intelligent windscreens, comely slats, and rumbling turbulence make her feel a way that no human ever could. In fact, she desperately believes her destiny is to marry one by uniting their souls for eternity in what the rest of us may vulgarly refer to as a plane crash. Linda's unusual proclivities distance her from the rest of humanity, so she's surprised and pleased when her charismatic work friend, Karina, invites her to a quarterly Vision Board Brunch. She wants to hasten her romantic fate through manifestation, but as her vision boards start coming true a bit too literally, Linda must choose between being her authentic self or abandoning her destiny for a more "normal" life.
Sky Daddy is the second book I've read by this author—it’s hilarious and surprisingly tender. Folk's writing is so clever and her sentence-level writing is so crisp. Everything she writes feels intentional, which makes the story fly by. I am weary of modern references, but Folk approaches them thoughtfully. Time spent in Linda's head is a hoot. As a reader, you can feel the love and understanding the author has for her peculiar female lead. If you’re like me, the ending may even make you a little misty eyed. If you enjoy sardonic humor and eccentric characters Sky Daddy is one not to miss.
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by Jen Beagin
Scribner, 2023. 325 pages. Fiction
Greta lives with her friend Sabine in an ancient Dutch farmhouse in Hudson, New York. The house, built in 1737, is unrenovated, uninsulated, and full of bees. Greta spends her days transcribing therapy sessions for a sex coach who calls himself Om. She becomes infatuated with his newest client, a repressed married woman she affectionately refers to as Big Swiss, since she's tall, stoic, and originally from Switzerland. Greta is fascinated by Big Swiss's refreshing attitude toward trauma. They both have dark histories, but Big Swiss chooses to remain unattached to her suffering while Greta continues to be tortured by her past. One day, Greta recognizes Big Swiss's voice at the dog park. In a panic, she introduces herself with a fake name and they quickly become enmeshed. Although Big Swiss is unaware of Greta's true identity, Greta has never been more herself with anyone. Her attraction to Big Swiss overrides her guilt, and she'll do anything to sustain the relationship.
by Otessa Moshfegh
Penguin Books, 2018. 288 pages. Fiction
It's early 2000 on New York City's Upper East Side, and the alienation of Moshfegh's unnamed young protagonist from others is nearly complete when she initiates her yearlong siesta, during which time she experiences limited personal interactions. Her parents have died; her relationships with her bulimic best friend Reva, an ex-boyfriend, and her drug-pushing psychiatrist are unwholesome. As her pill-popping intensifies, so does her isolation and determination to leave behind the world's travails. She is also beset by dangerous blackouts induced by a powerful medication.
by Lottie Hazell
Henry Holt and Company, 2024. 288 pages. Fiction
Piglet, a successful cookbook editor with a loyal circle and a handsome fiancé, Kit, faces a shocking betrayal two weeks before her wedding. Despite deciding to proceed, she grows increasingly unsettled. By the wedding day, Piglet is nearly undone but ready to confront the lies we tell ourselves.
RP
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