We're all gonna die. Here's a quote: "Peatlands, which represent no more than 4 percent of the earth's terrestrial surface, store twice as much carbon as all of the world's forests. They not only filter water that yaks, cattle, sheep and fertilized farmlands pollute, but they also hold back that water in times of flood and store it during extended drought." Every time that peat is removed, tons of carbon gets released into the atmosphere. So don't use peat pots or peat moss. Informative, for sure, but we're all gonna die.

The only reason you can keep reading is Augusten's breezy style, even in the face of the horror that was his childhood. It's gut-wrenching, but so, so captivating.

Get ready--Dominique pulls no punches in this kind but straightforward challenge to use the advantages that come with a lifetime of being white and make a difference. Back and forth examples between the Bible and current events tie examples of renowned people who did just that, and simultaneously smashes all the excuses that we hear so often. Well-structured and thorough, this is a must-read for many of us who need confirmation, a nudge, or maybe even a shove.

There's lots to wonder about in this book of interwoven stories, half-truths, and downright lies. A teenage girl goes missing, and everyone is suddenly a suspect. The driving instructor from downstairs. The son of the eccentric vintage clothing dealer. The parents themselves. There's a lot to learn about each of these characters and their pasts, and at varying points, they all look guilty. There is an answer in the end, but I had a hard time connecting with the main players. I kind of wanted them all to get arrested. Guess what? They all didn't.

If you liked Cutting for Stone, you know how talented Abraham Verghese is at writing. (Why do some people have all the talent? And brains?) This look back at his early days in Texas, trying unsuccessfully to salvage his marriage and finding an outlet seems so intimate that at times, I felt like I was intruding. In the midst of this anguish, Abraham meets David, a once near-great tennis player who is a medical student under his tutelage. An occasional game becomes a routine, and then a friendship, but a complicated one. David's past is gradually revealed and both tennis players evolve, for better or worse.

Jeepers, imagine a city of 20,000 people in our Midwest in the year 1050 or so . . . can you? It's mind-boggling. But there was such a place, and apparently it was quite the sophisticated metropolis with cited evidence of peoples from various locales around (what is now) the country having spent some time there. Of course not all the answers are provided; there will probably always be some questions. But it's sure interesting to learn of, read about, and ponder what brought about its creation . . . and its demise. Hmmm.

This beautifully researched book starts with an obituary. Very fitting, since the rest of the book is a complete autopsy. Layer by layer, the author peers into the patient to find the former life inside, and like all of us, there are things to be celebrated and there's a lot of other stuff which is, at best, shameful. One wonders about the assumed "separation of church and state" that is supposed to be woven into the fabric of our nation--seems to have been maybe a great idea and message but not so much a practice. Fascinating to read and ponder. However, it was written in 2016, and that's a while ago. His afterword addresses that election and although he predicted some of what ultimately happened during that presidential term, he skews more hopeful than, say, Margaret Atwood's interpretation of things. It would be so interesting to talk to him now. Another book, Robert?

Where should I start? Although I certainly sympathize with the author for her revelation that she, like the main character, lost her own brother at a young age, it felt as though this book was more a form of therapy to work through that loss than a well-thought out story. In this tale, set in 1938, Beatrice (the star of the show) and her philandering husband book a summer at a seaside resort, with the express purpose of hobnobbing with the rich and famous to whom they aspire to cozy up. I found the protagonist to be annoyingly inconsistent, unless we're talking about her self-centeredness. That was unchanging (and infuriating) throughout the book. Our "heroine" vacillated between utter vapidity and amazing self-awareness and brilliance. Highly unlikely. I never remotely developed any sense of concern for what happened to her, and frankly, wanted her to be killed off early on, but alas, no such luck. Furthermore, the writing felt forced, and why, oh why, was there an apparent ban on the word "pregnant" through the entire book? If I read "with child" once, I read it a million times. Eventually it became like nails on a chalkboard. Again, my sincere sympathies to the author, but perhaps this isn't the answer.

Dangit. This book had all the key words on the back: "drafty", "tension", "obsession", "disappear", "unsolved". I was completely smitten. However, I was quickly disappointed by the klutzy writing and mismanagement of words. Particularly one. Allow me please to quote a few gems for you. "Irony had drained our energy." "Where was irony now when we needed her most? All shields were gone, all masks removed." "Sometimes I would see Victoria as she was on the first day. Just a girl in love with irony and looking to be noticed." (Sure that's the character who's in love with irony?) "I think how it is ironic that there should be darkness and light, even now." Seriously? Interestingly, none of these scenarios are remotely ironic. So there you go. At the end I didn't care who lived or died. Maybe I was just being . . . nope, I can't do it. I was just being a B.

Do you ever want to sit down and read the dictionary? Well, if you do, you might just love this book. Identical twins, Laurel and Daphne spend their time soaking up words and learning all there is to know about them. From a secret language as toddlers to a later rapid-fire banter than no one can keep up with, these two seem to be forever glued by language, but that may not be what happens. Interesting and fun, it made me feel a little guilty for my lack of verbal sophistication. Time to crack the old dictionary.

If you've ever seen "Queer Eye", you know. If you haven't, you must! As cute as he is, though, there's obviously more to the story. Jonathan's journey has been fraught with some trauma, and the legacy of those times have made their mark on our hero. His bone-deep wackiness and ebullient personality somehow survived, though, and kept him afloat. This book feels like you're sitting down and chatting with an old friend, or someone you wish were your friend. His candor is refreshing and inspiring, and makes one a little more forgiving of, well, everyone.

I don't know how she does it, but she does, and that's what matters. Several stories slowly creep toward each other gaining momentum until they collide and are deftly intertwined, exploding to a finale. Kate blends pathos, mystery and humor like no one else.