James Markert Blends Reality with Fantasy in “All Things Bright and Strange”

World War I was a very chaotic time in world history. Soldiers suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and civilians often lost touch with reality as the world crumbled around them.

Nevertheless, it has been said that history is the greatest teacher even though the life lessons are usually tough to accept. Historical fiction is a great way to introduce readers to bygone eras, and James Markert’s “All Things Bright and Strange” (HarperCollins, 2018) is a powerful novel about illusions and reality within America during the early 1900s.

“Census” by Jesse Ball: An Odyssey from A to Z

Jesse Ball is a respected voice in contemporary fiction, with novels such as “The Way Through Doors” and “How to Set a Fire and Why.” In spite of the dark, depressing and even graphic content in his writing, his work ultimately reveals the enduring power of hope, love and creativity.

Ball is not afraid to write about disturbing topics, which makes his newest novel “Census” (HarperCollins, 2018) a modern masterpiece that presents characters who persevere in the face of adversity.

Rebecca Drake’s “Just Between Us” satisfies the need for a psychological thriller

How does one separate what is true from what is false? Given the subjective nature of reality, it can be very difficult for people to trust anyone, even those near and dear to them.

This famous theme has formed the basis of countless works of fiction and major motion pictures (just one example is the 1996 film “Secrets & Lies“). As the audience, we know that secrecy can create a compelling story filled with tension, drama, and suspense. In this tradition, Rebecca Drake’s “Just Between Us” (St. Martin’s Press, 2018) provides a fascinating examination of the limits of friendships, especially when close friends lose the trust that originally bonded them together.

Louise Erdrich Pens a Dystopia

We’ve come to know Louise Erdrich as an established writer thanks to novels like “Love Medicine,” so it may come as a surprise that her most recent work tackles broad and philosophical questions in a dystopian setting. Her latest novel, “Future Home of the Living God” (Harper, 2017), combines poetic prose with fantastical ideas to create a spellbinding reading experience.

The protagonist, 26-year-old Cedar Hawk Songmaker, is our guide into an America where a totalitarian state rules and babies are being born with animal traits.

No Need to Fear Virginia Woolf

Ever had an existential crisis? Even William Shakespeare’s Macbeth spoke about one fundamental truth within the fifth act of the play: People wake up, live their lives, and then repeat this cycle until life ultimately ends. 

The cyclical nature life is one of the major themes of Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Hours,” a profoundly beautiful tour de force that led to the Academy Award-winning film adaptation in 2002.  Cunningham successfully explores fundamental themes while also making Virginia Woolf a very real person instead of a literary enigma. Woolf might have suffered from mental illness and tragically committed suicide in 1941, but she will remain one of the greatest authors of all time.