Are you on the holds list for any of these? Here are some suggestions for books to read in the meantime.
1. American Dirt
If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you’ve seen the controversy surrounding Jeanine Cummins and her novel American Dirt. Whether or not you plan to read it, here are some alternatives:
See also: Bustle’s list of 18 New Books About The Immigrant Experience That Aren't American Dirt
2. Such a Fun Age
Author Kiley Reid says she was highly influenced by Uneasy Street: The Anxieties of Affluence when conceptualizing Such a Fun Age.
Another recent and acclaimed book that addresses some of the dynamics she explores is Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt.
3. The Giver of Stars
Another controversy surrounds Jojo Moyes’ book about the Pack Horse Library project in Kentucky, The Giver of Stars, and its similarities to Kim Michele Richardson’s The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (which was published several months prior). If you want to see for yourself, there’s still a wait, but it’s not as long:
If you’re just interested in Appalachian fiction in general, allow me to suggest Strange as This Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake:
4. Long Bright River
Don’t get me wrong—I really enjoyed Long Bright River, and I’m thrilled to see Liz Moore finally getting the attention she deserves. However, I still didn’t like it as much as her earlier novel The Unseen World, about a girl’s relationship with her secretive single father.
