A Book A Week

From the outside looking in, Natalie has the perfect life. She lives on the picturesque Yesteryear Ranch, tucked into the quiet hills of Idaho. Her husband, Caleb—a ruggedly handsome cowboy—runs the agricultural side of the farm, while Natalie raises their six seemingly perfect children. She shares their simple, rustic, all-natural lifestyle with over eight million followers, who watch with envy.

But if social media has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is ever quite as it seems.

In reality, Natalie relies on a team of nannies to wrangle the kids while she maintains her carefully curated image. Her live-in producer, Shannon, ensures everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. And Caleb? He’s never successfully grown a plant or kept an animal alive. Natalie secretly employs real farmers to keep the ranch functioning under the cover of night. Oh, and Caleb is also having an affair with Shannon.

This picture-perfect life is nothing but a façade, and it’s about to collapse.

After discovering the affair and Shannon’s sudden resignation, Natalie retreats to her bedroom, overwhelmed. When she awakes the next day, something is…off. She’s still in the same house, but Caleb is older—years older—and strangely competent. The children are there, but they aren’t her children. And all the modern conveniences that sustained her life are gone. No nannies. No producer. No electricity. No running water.

Has Natalie somehow slipped into the very past she’s been pretending to live in? Or is something far more unsettling at play? Whatever this is, if she wants to salvage her life—and the empire built on it—she’ll have to find a way out.

With Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke bursts onto the literary fiction scene with a debut that may be one of the most original novels I read all year. There’s a sharp, biting irony in forcing a character to confront the harsh realities of the lifestyle she’s built a brand on promoting, but the exploration of hypocrisy is only the beginning of what Burke has in mind.

Burke alternates between Natalie’s present-day predicament and glimpses into her past, gradually constructing the version of her we meet at the novel’s start. It’s a smart, effective structure that deepens our understanding of an admittedly complex and often frustrating protagonist. As Natalie struggles to make sense of her situation, the novel expands into a thoughtful meditation on motherhood, womanhood, religion, politics, and the performative nature of life in the age of social media.

I found myself completely absorbed, eager to uncover the truth behind what was happening. The answer is as bold as you might expect from a novel this daring, though I suspect the ending will prove divisive for some readers. Even so, I was captivated from beginning to end. Yesteryear is a striking debut novel that will almost certainly make my list of favorite reads of the year.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2026, 28)

There’s no denying that the landscape of local news has shifted dramatically in recent decades. I remember my parents watching the evening broadcast on Channel 5 religiously, the local anchors serving as a trusted, familiar source of information. These days, I don’t even have traditional TV. I rely instead on streaming services for entertainment. And I couldn’t tell you the last time I sat down to watch a local newscast. It’s simply easier and faster to get updates on my phone than to wait for a scheduled broadcast.

But even as the medium evolves, local news endures. It’s within that ever-changing world that Jessie Garcia sets her latest thriller, The Fair Weather Friend, drawing inspiration from the high-pressure environment of a Detroit newsroom.

Faith Richards has become a bona fide local celebrity. As the evening news meteorologist, she’s charmed viewers with her sunny personality and playful traditions—most notably her weather-themed earrings that match each forecast. She’s even earned a devoted following who affectionately call her their “Fair Weather Friend.” Sure, Faith mostly reads from a national report sent to the newsroom, but her expertise, or lack thereof, hardly matters. She’s engaging, likable, and exactly the kind of personality that keeps viewers tuning in.

But when Faith fails to return to the air after a dinner break between broadcasts, concern quickly sets in. And when her body is discovered the next day, that concern turns to shock. How could someone so visible, so beloved, end up the victim of such a brutal crime? As the investigation unfolds, it soon becomes clear that there may have been far more to Faith than met the eye.

With The Fair Weather Friend, Jessie Garcia delivers a suspenseful whodunnit that keeps the twists coming. The narrative shifts between multiple perspectives—Faith herself, an intern, an adoring fan, a coworker, and even a stalker—each adding a new layer to the mystery. Their connections to Faith are revealed gradually, with key pieces held back until the final moments, making for a story that’s as playful as it is unsettling.

In her debut novel, Wandering Souls, Cecile Pin delivered a searing portrait of a family shaped by war, immigration, and assimilation. It's a completely entrancing read that earned a spot among my favorites of 2023. So when her publisher offered me a copy of her latest novel, Celestial Lights, it was an easy yes. This time, Pin expands her scope beyond the terrestrial, turning her gaze toward space exploration and the profound impact it has on those who choose to venture into the unknown.

In January 1986, the world watched in shock as the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster unfolded just moments after launch. We understood that space travel carried risk, but this felt like something else entirely. The tragedy was made even more devastating by the presence of Christa McAuliffe, the schoolteacher chosen to represent everyday Americans among the stars. Millions of students watched as she carried a red apple onto the shuttle only to witness her story end in devastation.

That same year, Oliver Innes was born. Growing up in a quiet British village, Ollie’s imagination was sparked early, his bedroom ceiling dotted with glow-in-the-dark constellations. Encouraged by his father to dream big, he pursued engineering, setting his sights on the stars he’d long admired. Years later, with multiple missions already behind him, Ollie is chosen by a billionaire visionary to lead a groundbreaking expedition to Europa.

But the opportunity comes with an impossible cost. With a wife and young son at home, Ollie must decide whether he can commit to a mission that will take him away for a decade. And if he does, will the life he leaves behind still be waiting for him when he returns?

With Celestial Lights, Cecile Pin explores vast, expansive ideas about humanity, our place in the galaxy, and the weight of our choices. Yet she grounds them in an intimate, deeply felt character study. That juxtaposition between the scale of her setting—the infinite stretch of space—and the personal journey of her protagonist gives the novel both focus and deep emotional resonance.

Pin alternates between mission logs from Ollie’s time in space, where he wrestles with the consequences of leaving his life on Earth behind, and flashbacks that trace how he became the man hurtling through the cosmos. Along the way, we also see the psychological toll of the journey on his fellow crew members, adding another layer to this already complex portrait of isolation and ambition.

The novel builds toward a conclusion that may leave readers with more questions than answers, but one that feels true to the messiness of being human. Pin suggests that our lives are defined by the moments that shape us. Even at the farthest reaches of space, we are never free from the emotional gravity of the lives we’ve lived. It makes for a quietly profound novel that asks us to look both outward to the stars and inward at ourselves.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2026, 26)

The COVID-19 pandemic meant many things to many people. Thankfully, I avoided its worst impacts, but the isolation of social distancing was very real. I retreated into books more than ever, and as an unexpected silver lining, I discovered authors and stories I might never have picked up otherwise. Amity Gaige was one of those discoveries. Her novel Sea Wife became one of my favorites of 2020, and I promised myself I’d read whatever she wrote next.

That promise led me to Heartwood, her latest novel—a story that uses the pandemic as a starting point for its direction. While this isn’t a “pandemic novel” in the traditional sense, it thoughtfully draws on our shared experience of that time to deepen our understanding of its characters.

Valerie Gillis became a nurse because she wanted to help people. But when COVID laid siege to her hospital, making it nearly impossible to do just that, she found herself at a breaking point. In the aftermath, Valerie takes a months-long leave from work and sets out to hike the Appalachian Trail in search of clarity and escape. She encounters a hiking partner along the way, only for that partner to be called away from the hike. And then, just like that, she’s alone in the wilderness.

So when Valerie disappears, it feels almost inevitable. But that’s only the beginning of the story.

We're introduced to a cast of characters whose lives intersect with Valerie’s in unexpected ways. There’s Beverly, the game warden tasked with finding her; Lena, an elderly woman in an assisted living facility who turns to online sleuthing and begins to suspect the missing hiker might be her estranged daughter; and Santo, the man who briefly walked alongside Valerie before sending her to continue on alone. Through these shifting perspectives, the mystery deepens, each thread pulling us closer to the truth of what really happened on the trail.

Amity Gaige once again proves her strength in crafting compelling, well-rounded characters in Heartwood. Her mosaic approach gives readers an intimate look into each character’s psyche, revealing what drives them and how their lives intersect with the larger narrative. It’s a thoughtful, layered structure that highlights Gaige’s skill as a writer.

That said, not every thread resonated equally. While some perspectives added meaningful depth, others occasionally pulled focus from the central mystery. There were moments when I found myself less invested in the individual character arcs and wishing for a stronger narrative momentum behind the missing-person storyline.

Ultimately, much of the novel’s impact will depend on how much you connect with its character-driven approach. Amity Gaige is undeniably a gifted writer, and while I admired the craft on display, I found myself wishing for a bit more narrative drive to match the depth of its characters. In the end, Heartwood leans more toward a thoughtful study of people than a traditional mystery, but for readers willing to settle into its rhythms, there’s plenty of rewarding payoff to be found. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2026, 24)

There are a handful of authors I credit with hooking me on reading, and Patricia Cornwell is definitely one of them. I still remember picking up a paperback copy of her Kay Scarpetta novel Body of Evidence in high school and becoming completely absorbed by its eerie atmosphere, graphic forensic detail, and gripping mystery. I went on to read many more of her books and still make a point to pick up her latest releases each year. With Kay Scarpetta recently being adapted into a TV series starring Nicole Kidman, I realized I’d somehow never gone back to read the very first book in the series, Postmortem. It felt like the perfect time to finally correct that.

We’re introduced to Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Virginia, as she’s called to the scene of a gruesome murder. It's the latest in a string of killings targeting young women in Richmond. The city is on edge, and all eyes are on Scarpetta to uncover the evidence that might lead to the killer. She’s joined in the investigation by Detective Pete Marino, a blunt, no-filter investigator who quickly zeroes in on the latest victim’s husband as his prime suspect. But Scarpetta isn’t convinced. Relying on her sharp instincts, cutting-edge forensic techniques, and unwavering determination, she sets out to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

How strong are the ties that bind us to another person? Are we shaped more by who we are at our core, or by the lives we’re forced to live? These are the questions at the heart of Tayari Jones’s Kin. Following the success of An American Marriage, Jones once again explores a relationship shaped by separation—this time shifting her focus from marriage to the enduring bond between two best friends. The result is another moving story that blends elements of historical fiction with a deeply layered portrait of friendship.

Vernice “Neicy” and Annie were, in many ways, cut from the same cloth. Neicy was orphaned at just six months old after her father murdered her mother. Annie never knew her father, and her mother abandoned her days after she was born, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. In Honeysuckle, Louisiana, family isn’t always about blood—it’s about who shows up. And for these two girls, that shared understanding binds them together.

But as they grow older, their paths begin to diverge. Determined to give Neicy every opportunity, her aunt sends her off to Spelman College, where she finds herself among a circle of ambitious, well-connected women and eventually marries into wealth. Annie, meanwhile, is driven by a different need—the desire to find the mother who left her behind and finally make sense of that absence. As they move further into their separate lives, the question becomes not just who they will become, but whether the bond that once defined them can survive the distance between who they were and who they’re becoming.

Tayari Jones once again proves her ability to craft complex, deeply realized characters in Kin. We follow Neicy and Annie as they come of age during the Jim Crow era, though the historical backdrop serves more as atmosphere than the novel’s central focus. This is, first and foremost, a story about growth—about how these two girls evolve into very different women.

Through alternating perspectives, Jones allows us to feel the widening distance between them, each chapter deepening the divide shaped by their choices and circumstances. She resists offering clean, easy answers, instead inviting us to sit with the complexity of it all. What emerges is a thoughtful meditation on friendship—how it endures, how it fractures, and how much of who we become is shaped by the lives we’re given.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2026, 23)