All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle, 371 pages

 Hubert Bird is not alone in being alone.

He just needs to realise it.

In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun, friendship and fulfilment.

But Hubert Bird is lying.

The truth is day after day drags by without him seeing a single soul.

Until, that is, he receives some good news - good news that in one way turns out to be the worst news ever, news that will force him out again, into a world he has long since turned his back on.

Now Hubert faces a seemingly impossible task: to make his real life resemble his fake life before the truth comes out.
Along the way Hubert stumbles across a second chance at love, renews a cherished friendship and finds himself roped into an audacious community scheme that seeks to end loneliness once and for all . . .

Life is certainly beginning to happen to Hubert Bird. But with the origin of his earlier isolation always lurking in the shadows will he ever get to live the life he's pretended to have for so long?

Just Haven't Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens, 371 pages

 Laura's business trip to the Channel Islands isn't exactly off to a great start. After unceremoniously dumping everything in her bag in front of the most attractive man she's ever seen in real life, she arrives at her hotel only to realize she's grabbed the wrong suitcase from the airport. Her only consolation? The irresistibly appealing contents of the case: a copy of her favorite book; piano music; and a rugged, heavy knit fisherman sweater only a Ryan Gosling lookalike could pull off. The owner of this suitcase is Laura's dream man--she's sure of it. Now, all she has to do is find him.

The mix-up seems written in the stars. After all, what are the odds that she'd find The One on the same remote island where her mom and dad had first fallen in love, especially as she sets out to write an article about their epic romance? Commissioning surly cab driver Ted to ferry her around seems like her best bet in both tracking down the mystery suitcase owner and retracing her parents' footsteps. And if beneath Ted's gruffness lies a wit that makes their cab rides strangely entertaining, so much the better. But as Laura's long-lost luggage soulmate proves difficult to find--and as she realizes that the love story she's held on a pedestal all her life might not have been that perfect--she'll have to rethink her whole outlook on love to discover what she really wants.

Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairy Tales, edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane, 371 pages

 Twenty curses, old and new, from bestselling fantasy authors such as Neil Gaiman, Karen Joy Fowler, Christina Henry, M.R. Carey, and Charlie Jane Anders.

ALL THE BETTER TO READ YOU WITH

It's a prick of blood, the bite of an apple, the evil eye, a wedding ring, or a pair of red shoes. Curses come in all shapes and sizes, and they can happen to anyone, not just those of us with unpopular stepparents ...

Here you'll find unique twists on curses, from fairy tale classics to brand-new hexes of the modern world--expect new monsters and mythologies as well as twists on well-loved fables. Stories to shock and stories of warning, stories of monsters and stories of magic.

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan, 371 pages

As England becomes enmeshed in the early days of World War II and the men are away fighting, the women of Chilbury village forge an uncommon bond. They defy the Vicar's stuffy edict to close the choir and instead "carry on singing," resurrecting themselves as the Chilbury Ladies' Choir. This story tells the home-front struggle of five unforgettable choir members: a timid widow devastated when her only son goes to fight; the older daughter of a local scion drawn to a mysterious artist; her younger sister pining over an impossible crush; a Jewish refugee from Czechoslovakia hiding a family secret; and a conniving midwife plotting to outrun her seedy past.
An enchanting ensemble novel that shuttle from small-town intrigue to romance to the heartbreaking matters of life and death, Jennifer Ryan's debut thrillingly illuminates the true strength of the women on the home front in a village of indomitable spirit.
This very much reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Strange Fruit by Lillian Smith, 371 pages

I'd read about this book in another book and it mentioned that it had been banned in Boston in the 40s. A look at the South after WWI, the oftentimes tense relationship between whites and blacks, and dealing with other people's expectations. I can see why it was considered shocking at the time, because of the questions it raised about equality and race relations. I found myself shocked at the book at times, it was hard to believe the mind set in the time period of my mom's birth. All in all, a read I'm very glad I picked up.

The Theory of Death by Faye Kellerman, 371 pages

Always a good, solid mystery.

Dr. Mutter's Marvels by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, 371 pages

A really interesting read that features a doctor who changed the face of plastic surgery in the 1800s, and helped introduce the use of ether in surgery. All in all, a good read, especially for a nonfiction book.

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith, 371 pages

I really enjoy the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Each one continues to be a solid read, and the character development is wonderful. I'd never really cared that much for Charlie before, but he's really starting to grow on me after this book. All in all, a great read.

Queen Elizabeth's Daughter by Anne Clinard Barnhill, 371 pages

A review book I read covering the life of Mary Shelton, one of Queen Elizabeth's ward, who was the closest thing to a daughter that the Virgin Queen had. Well written and fascinating.