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Zadie Smith became a famous author at the ripe old age of twenty-four, with the publication of her first novel, White Teeth (2000). Since that time she has published numerous books of fiction and nonfiction, all of which deal with issues of race, class, and politics.

I really enjoyed Emilia Hart’s debut novel Weyward and was excited to read her next book, The Sirens (2025).

Shy Creatures (2024) takes inspiration from a true event to bring us the story of a ‘hidden man’. In 1964 William, a man in his late thirties, is found secluded in a house, mute and disheveled, after his last remaining relative dies. No one knew he lived there; he hadn’t left the house in decades, and neighbors never even knew he existed.  

Kaia Alderson writes historical fiction inspired by real people. Her sophomore effort, In a League of Her Own (2024), tells the fictionalized story of powerhouse Effa Manley. In 1930s Harlem, independent Effa works hard toward her dream of opening a hat shop. A chance meeting at a baseball game brings Abe Manley into her life.

Sybil's job as a Diviner is to see the future at the cathedral she calls home, and lords from all over the kingdom make the journey to hear their future from her and her sister Diviners. One night, the king comes to visit to hear his future from Sybil. Among his company is a roguish, irritating, and handsome knight named Rory. 

A year after Nan's best friends Luce, Edie, and Jane disappeared, the town of Saltcedar is still mourning. So is Nan-- or so it seems to everyone else. Saltcedar holds a memorial for the girls at the river to commemorate the anniversary of their disappearance, and during it, a body of one of the girls is found.

A body that is alive, not dead.

Nan should be relieved that one of her besties is still alive. But she's not, because Luce should be dead, and Nan knows this because she is the one who killed them all.

I have been on a bit of a Geraldine Brooks kick lately. Having recently read Horse, I decided to immerse myself in an earlier novel of hers, Caleb’s Crossing (2011).

I really enjoyed The Wandering Season (2025) by Aimie K. Runyan for its blend of magical realism, historical elements, and vivid descriptions of food. Veronica Stratton, a specialty food broker, goes home to visit her family for Christmas and when her sister gives everyone DNA test kits, Veronica receives confirmation of what she has long suspected: she was adopted as an infant.

The Sisters Brothers (2011) by Patrick deWitt is a dip into Westerns that I wasn't expecting to take.

Saving Sophie by Ronald H. Balson is a complex and captivating suspense thriller with great characterizations. It is filled with rich historical details and insights into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It takes you on a journey from Chicago to Hawaii to Israel, as Jack Sommers goes to any lengths to rescue his kidnapped daughter.

The Australian author Geraldine Brooks is known for her sweeping historical novels. A meticulous researcher, she infuses her characters, settings, and plots with a wealth of detail and insight. She typically picks subject matter that has yet to be explored by other novelists, which makes her work interesting and enlightening too.

A Far Better Thing (2025) is a darkly whimsical retelling of A Tale of Two Cities, in which the main characters are 'Mortal Servants of the Faerie Realm', stolen as babies, and their changelings, the people who took their place, their names and their lives.