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.

Laura, a forty year old married woman with no children, finally decides to search for her mother who disappeared without a trace thirty years ago. The only clues she has to her mother’s whereabouts is her mother’s paintings of a red house that is located in Brindisi, Italy. Laura’s quest to understand her mother’s past, the reason for her disappearance and what ultimately happened to her, is also, for Laura, a journey towards self-awareness.

If you have not had enough of Holocaust books, I highly recommend The Red House. Part mystery, part historical fiction, Mary Morris’s novel is engrossing and well-written. However, for those who prefer a linear work, The Red House does jump around from Italy during World War II to the present day to Laura’s childhood.

Short listed for the 2025 Man Booker Award, The Rest of Our Lives follows Tom Layward on a cross country road trip. After dropping off his youngest child for her first year at Carnegie Mellon, he continues driving west instead of returning home to his wife in Westchester, New York. Tom’s marriage is falling apart, he has been asked to take a leave of absence from the law school he teaches at, and he has mysterious, serious health issues. The spontaneous ride trip that ultimately ends visiting his son in Los Angeles, helps Tom analyze where his life is headed.

Although Tom is a flawed character, I liked The Rest of Our Lives. I found the characters portrayed realistically and Tom’s problems seemed authentic. If you need closure at the end of a novel, I can’t recommend The Rest of Our Lives. The reader is left wondering what will happen next to Tom and his family.

It is 1997 in Boston. The main character, Casey Peabody, is grieving over her mother’s untimely death. Casey has spent six years writing a novel. When Writers & Lovers begins she is barely making a living working at a popular upscale restaurant. While grieving, worrying about her health and finances and trying to finish her book, Casey must make a decision regarding two men who are in love with her.

Although Writers & Lovers is the prequel to Heart the Lover, both novels are enjoyable read in any order. I read Heart the Lover first and was thoroughly engaged in both works. In both novels Lily King writes about realistic characters with relatable problems, and they are fine reads for women of any age.

Paul Auster’s final book of fiction is partly autobiographical. S.T Baumgarten is in his 70’s, a childless widower, who is a well regarded professor of philosophy at Princeton. Through his daydreams and reminiscences, the reader learns most of the major events in his life as well as those of his parents and his wife’s.

Although Baumgarten is not Auster’s best work, it is a worthwhile read. It is a fine character study and if you are a Paul Auster fan, you will want to read the last novel he wrote. However, if you do not enjoy ambiguous endings, I don’t suggest you read Baumgarten.

Bee Wilson’s work of nonfiction is part memoir, part history lessons and part psychological interpretations. The basic premise is that kitchen “things”-cake pans, cork screws, fine china and melon ballers-can be more than just objects. Many items we find in our kitchens remind us of people, places and events that are important in our lives. Bee Wilson’s discussion of these objects also help us learn about her life and the lives of others.

I was interested in The Heart-Shaped Tin because I have enjoyed reading Bee Wilson’s columns in The Wall Street Journal. They are about food, and like this book, about much more. If you thoroughly enjoy eating and/or cooking, I highly recommend Bee Wilson’s newest work.