At the start of the year, I set out to read authors who were new to me, rather than falling back on my standard bearers. That does not mean you won’t see a title or two from John Irving, Jodi Picoult, or some of my other all-time favorites, but this year’s list introduced many new authors to my library. I will say that the year delivered mostly mediocre novels; it was not until later in the year — and the return to a few of my favorite authors — that I read some beautiful books.
These books are more or less listed in the chronological order in which they were read. The stars indicate my fondness for the book, with one star being the lowest rating, to five stars. If a book rates five stars from me, book now has a permanent home in my personal library.
****Forgotten on Sunday by French author Valerie Perrin, 2024, 300 pages. This book presents the parallel lives of a young nursing assistant at a retirement home and one of her favorite patients, Helene, 100. A lovely read …
***The Exchange by John Grisham, 2023, 334 pages. This book is Grisham’s sequel to The Firm, Grisham’s first breakthrough blockbuster. Though The Exchange did not get rave reviews, I enjoyed it. It was a quick read with some insight into how big law navigates the cultural climate in foreign countries.
***We Do Not Part by Han Kang, 2025, 256 pages. Kang is a winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, with judges noting her poetic prose. It is hard to argue with that assessment, as Kang explores the relationship between two friends and historical traumas that rocked Korea.
**The Oracle of Spring Garden Road by Norrin Ripsman, 2024, 407 pages. I entitled an on-line review of this book as Overbearing Oracle. Just too much hand-wringing by the main character, who deserts his family and then lives on the streets of Halifax for 20 years. Story would have been better with 100 fewer pages.
***The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis, 2016, 289 pages. An okay novel, perhaps of greater interest to those with ties to New York City.
**The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster, by Shauna Robinson, 2024, 327 pages. The story of a young woman who successfully reconnects two disparate sides of her family. Meh.
****The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, 2023, 415 pages. An intriguing story of the challenges faced by a mid-wife in the late 1700s and the unflattering, but true depiction of small-town justice at that time.
***The Boston Girl, Anita Diamant, 2014, 320 pages. A close-up look at justice in the Catholic enclaves and police department of Boston in the early 1900s, this book disappoints those who were hoping to read another story as compelling as The Red Tent.
***The Address, Fiona Davis, 354 pages, 2018. A better read than The Dollhouse, this novel gives you a birds-eye perspective of the construction of New York City’s famous building, The Dakota (home to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, among other luminaries). Again, of most interest to those with a connection to New York City, imho.
***The Dakota Winters, Tom Barbash, 324 pages, 2018. Interesting that I read two books based in New York City’s iconic Dakota. Could not even remember reading this book when I sat down to write this post.
****The Yellow Bird Sings, Jennifer Rosner, 283 pages, 2020. The story of how/what a mother must do to save her child from the Germans during WWII. Rather than being a macabre Holocaust story, Rosner tells us a story of the unbreakable bonds between mother and daughter.
****The Secret Life of Sunflowers, Dana Marton writing as Marta Molnar, 392 pages, 2022. A great read for anyone ho is a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, this story speaks to the adage that behind every good man is an even greater woman.
***The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder, Rebecca Wells, 391 pages, 2009. Another lovely story by Wells, this one did not wow me like her earlier novels: Little Altars Everywhere and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. A good beach or airplane read…
***The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy, 321 pages, 2017. This book has been described as dazzling. I did not appreciate its beauty until I finished the entire book.
****The Tennis Partner, Abraham Verghese, 342 pages, 1998. I have longed described Verghese’s novel Cutting for Stone as one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Imagine my delight when I found this book for $3 at a library book sale. This novel did not inspire that same level of awe, but was all the more powerful because it was a true story of Verghese’s early medical career in Texas and his relationship to save a resident who just didn’t want to be saved. Reader beware: very detailed descriptions of the impact of drug addiction.
*****Queen Esther, John Irving, 408 pages, 2025. In typical Irving fashion, this novel has its share of quirky characters and their relationships. Strong reminders of Owen Meany, imho. I hold fast to my belief that Irving is one of the great novelists of our generation.
*****The Book of Two Ways, Jodi Picoult, 444 pages, 2020. What can I say? I am a huge fan of Picoult, and this book did not disappoint, largely because it was about archaeology and Egyptology, topics of which I know little. In the end, of course, it is the story of a relationship and the decisions we make. Read it.
**The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, Anna Johnson, 398 pages, Kindle. Johnson’s tale is a fast read with a premise that is hard to believe. To be fair, I generally do not enjoy reading on my Kindle and use it only for travel. I just do not relate to books on my Kindle as I do to a book in my hand.
*****My Friends, Fredrik Backman, 434 pages, 2025. Perhaps my favorite contemporary author! Read it.
Hope this list is helpful to you and points to some books, both new and old, that you might enjoy reading.
I learned today that I am a bibliolater, one who idolizes books. Wishing you all a great year of great books!
The Accidental Blank 