This collection is intended for readers interested in contemporary fiction. Click on this link to access the discussion questions for all the books in this collection.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Brit Bennett tells the story of the Vignes twins, girls who ran away from their small, black town at age 16. Years later, one comes back to the town as a single mother to her young daughter, and the other passes for white with a husband who has no knowledge of her history. What will happen when the children of the sisters lives begin to intersect?
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Eleanor, a shy and socially awkward young women with a tragic past, meets an IT guy from her office and an elderly gentlemen. Throughout the novel, she grows from her isolation.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Ifemelu and Obineze depart from military-ruled Nigeria for the West in hopes of a life of love and success not available back home. Societal prejudices force them apart as they learn how to make lives for themselves in an unkind world, all the while awaiting their unforeseeable reunion.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini This book details the last thirty years of Afghanistan through the stories of the first and second wives of an abusive husband.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Alex Chamberlain is shocked when her black babysitter, Emira, is accused of kidnapping Alix's daughter Briar at a grocery store on evening. Later, when more is released on Alix's history, the women are forced to confront their pasts and look into how race, being an adult, and transactional relationships affect them.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins Forced to flee her home in Acapulco, Mexico, Lydia Quixano Pérez and her eight-year-old son Luca join the countless, desperate, hopeful souls seeking refuge in el norte. Lydia hopes to augment the distance from her perilous past, haunted by tragedy, impelled by fear and faith.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid When star actress Evelyn Hugo invites Monique Grant to write her a piece for Monique's magazine, Monique cannot figure out why. She hasn't written anything that was worthy of the recognition of such a prominent historical celebrity. Evelyn tells Monique her life story, a dramatic life with seven husbands, and one forbidden relationship. By the end, Monique learns more shocking information about Evelyn and her own life than she ever thought she would.