Theo arrives in the city of Golden, Georgia. He is 86 years old, has lived in many places around the world, and is quite mysterious never divulging his last name or much about his life. On one of his first days in Golden, he steps into Chalice, the local coffee shop, and studies the many portraits painted by a local artist. He soon starts buying the paintings and distributing them to the appropriate individuals.

Allen Levi’s debut novel has become a national sensation. Most readers loved it and felt inspired by it. Theo, the mystery man, exemplifies unselfishness, kindness, integrity and the ability to befriend people from all walks of life. Theo of Golden is a feel good novel that leaves no unanswered questions.

Each chapter in Allegra Goodman’s new novel is a vignette having to do with a family whose matriarchs are sisters Helen, Sylvia and Jean. Each sister has been married at least once, each have children, two have grandchildren, and the two surviving sisters are no longer speaking to each other. With each vignette, the reader learns more about this east coast Jewish family.

Even if you’re not Jewish I think you would enjoy This Is Not About Us. However, if you are Jewish, I think you would thoroughly enjoy the characters, the situations and the dilemmas even more. This Is Not About Us is humorous and heart-warming. I read it in two days, and with each chapter found this somewhat stereotypical family more and more delightful.

M.L. Stedman’s second novel centers on the McBride family who own a large sheep ranch in western Australia. In 1958 the father, Phil, is riding over his vast property with his two sons. Phil swerves to avoid hitting a kangaroo. The car turns over killing Phil, his oldest son, Warren, and severely injuring his younger son, Matt. While Matt is recovering from injuries to both his body and his brain, he does something horrendous. This act will affect Matt and the remaining McBride family for decades.

I loved Stedman’s first novel, The Light Between Oceans and eagerly looked forward to her second. Although it took 14 years, I was not disappointed. It takes a while to get immersed in A Far-Flung Life, but it is definitely worth the wait.

On October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorists attacked the kibbutz where Eli Sharabi, his wife and two daughters lived. He was separated from his wife and daughters and taken hostage. Hostage is the story of his 491 days in captivity. Most of his time was spent in filthy underground rooms where he was intimidated, humiliated, practically starved and shackled. Hostage relates how he and the prisoners he lived with spent their days and survived.

Hostage is not an easy read, especially now, but it is most certainly worthwhile to know about Sharabi’s ordeal. The memoir ends days after his release, and I would have liked to have read how Eli Sharabi was doing months later. I also was curious to know what happened to the others he lived with in captivity. Were they released or killed?

Thomas Flett is 20 year old and lives with his mother in the sea coast town of Longferry. Everyday he takes his horse and goes to catch shrimp in the sea. He loves books and music, but there’s little time or chance for him to partake of them. His life is a dull routine with hardly any enjoyment until an American film director comes to Longferry, hoping to shoot a film there.

Benjamin Wood’s Seascraper is a beautifully written “slice of life” that can probably be read in two sittings. One can almost see and feel the rain and fog in Longferry as Wood describes them.

Charlotte McConaghy’s third novel takes place in the near future on a remote island near Antarctica called Shearwater. The Salt family, Dominic and his children Raff, Fen and Orly, seem to be the only people on this cold, damp, windy island until a woman, Rowan, is swept ashore. The island is a seed bank, storing potential food for a starving world. Why are the Salts the only people on the island? Why was Rowan coming to Shearwater? That and other questions are answered as Wild Dark Shore explains in alternating narratives and perspectives.

I am usually not a fan of futuristic novels, but I was hooked on Wild Dark Shore after about 20 pages. It is an exciting, engrossing, well-written novel that unfolds slowly and dramatically.

The giant in the title is Gabriel Fisher. He weighs 18 pounds at birth that causes his mother’s death. She is a woman who has been banned from the Amish community in rural Wisconsin because she is not married. Gabriel is partially raised by his brother, his Amish grandparents and the town veterinarian. He is a gentle giant and a gifted athlete who is loved by all who know him.

Ron Rindo writes a heart-warming story. It is interesting that the novel is narrated in many different voices but never Gabriel’s. While most of the characters in Life & Death & Giants are admirable, they are one dimensional and their behavior is predictable.

Polly Goodman, the narrator, is an English teacher at a private girls’ school in New York City. Her first marriage was a disaster, but her second husband is almost perfect. Polly and her best friends have formed a book club, yet they never read the selected book. Instead, they meet to discuss life and support each other. When these friends give her a DNA test, Polly needs to know the meaning of the results. Also, Polly is 42 years old and has been trying for years to get pregnant.

Anna Quindlen writes a good story with a predictable ending. More Than Enough is an easy, enjoyable read. Perfect for a long plane ride or to take on vacation.

In her debut novel, Patmeena Sabit tells the story of the Sharaf family. They are immigrants from Afghanistan living in northern Virginia. The father, through hard work, has become quite successful, but the family’s life is turned upside down when their “perfect” teenage daughter defies the cultural norms of the Afghan community.

The format of Good People is multiple interviews with friends, neighbors, police, reporters, a realtor and more. With each perspective, the reader is aware of new information, biases and feelings, and with each interview the reader gains a new feel for the Sharafs. Although the beginning of Good People is confusing, what with an innovative structure and lots of foreign names, the reader eventually goes with the flow. For me, Good People was a can’t put down book. It’s a fabulous creative novel with so much to think about.

Skylark is an historical novel told in two alternating time lines. The two main female characters are Aloutte Voland and Sasha Brodsky. Aloutte’s story begins in 1664 in Paris. Her father creates dyes for textiles. and she desperately to as well, but women are not allowed. Sasha’s tale begins in Paris in 1939. She is a very bright Jewish teenager. Both young women eventually must escape to a better, safer life, and they do so by traveling through the underground tunnels of Paris.

It took me awhile to get into both stories, but I’m glad I read Skylark. I especially found Aloutte’s life and the time she was living in interesting. Skylark is not a quick read, but it’s worth reading.