The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

Nothing much happens in this book, and yet it's wonderful. A variety of alien species are stuck together in a small family-run space motel, and they get along, because by some lucky coincidence, they are the nicest cosmopolitan outsiders that their respective species has to offer.

Becky Chambers' Wayfarers universe has always impressed with its wide range of unusual alien races, from bugs to dinosaurs, and this book gives us a lot of backstory for several of them. My favorite scene was the one where they discuss the phenomenon of cheese, and universally agree that humans are the weirdest. I'm especially thankful for the extended epilogue that brings each individual's story to a satisfying happy end.