five new books to add to your reading list!

I have so many piles of books all over my house, I think I should sign up for the Evelyn Woods speedwriting course! Meanwhile, here are five great new books to read now that the kids have gone back to school. Let me know what you’re reading, too!

THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU by Joshua Henkin

I was so deeply invested in the characters in this book, I’m still thinking about them weeks later and honestly wish I could give them a call to make sure they’re all okay. The poignant story follows Marilyn and David Frankel, who have gathered their family at their summer home for the Fourth of July weekend to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the death of their son who was killed while covering the war in Iraq. Marilyn and David are on the brink of divorce after 40 years of marriage, and their three grown daughters are each trying to come to terms with their own struggles. Thanks to Henkin’s beautifully understated style, the family dynamics are so easy to relate to and it’s fascinating to watch these adult women revert back to their childhood identities when they’re all together. Aptly set during our country’s Independence Day, this is a very American story and an important – and timely – reminder that politics have real power over our personal lives and the people we love.

THE SALT GOD’S DAUGHTER by Ilie Ruby

If you think fairy tales are only for children, you haven’t read Ilie Ruby’s magical novels. Combining folklore, mysticism and lyrical language, this latest offering from the author of The Language of Trees brings to light serious, real-life issues including date rape and bullying through the filter of a mother and her two daughters who study the moon and swear by the Farmer’s Almanac. In these women’s world, the line between myth and reality is often blurry, yet what comes across clearly is love in all its flawed glory. Ultimately a celebration of three generations of fierce females, the book is filled with haunting imagery so strong, you’ll swear you smell the sea air.

THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY by Rachel Joyce

I love this book. Recently retired and stuck in a rut, Harold Fry is an ordinary man living an ordinary life in a quiet English village with his ordinary wife. One day, he receives a letter from Queenie, a colleague he hasn’t been in contact with for two decades and who is now in a hospice. As he walks to the mailbox to send a letter back, he decides instead he must bring the letter to her in person, convinced that her survival depends on it. He starts out on the 600 mile walk, and his journey – filled with strangers bearing stories – is a study in self-discovery. The premise is so simple and the writing so lovely, I found myself cheering him on and worrying over every blister, change in weather and traveling companion he encountered. Harold’s pilgrimage is life-altering – not just for him but for readers who will see that changing even the most dire circumstances can be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.

GONE by Cathi Hanauer

In this thought-provoking novel, middle-aged artist Eric drives the babysitter home and doesn’t return. Eve, his wife of 14 years, has no idea where he’s gone or why, and desperately tries to keep things stable, caring for their two kids as well as the clients of her nutrition practice. As I read, I had a constant debate with myself about whether I would forgive my husband for just picking up and leaving. Hanauer makes her characters believable, and never gives up on any of them, no matter how flawed. Nothing is really black and white in her story – or in life, for that matter. Because the story lets readers make their own judgments, this would make a great book club choice.

THIS IS HOW IT ENDS by Kathleen MacMahon

After losing his job on Wall Street after the 2008 crash, Bruno heads to Ireland to research his roots and ends up falling in love with Addie, an out-of-work architect who is caring for her housebound father. I couldn’t believe how custom-made for me this book felt – it takes place in one of my favorite countries in the world, Bruno is a huge Bruce Springsteen fan who quotes lyrics the way some people quote the Bible, and he is so passionate about Obama winning the election, he says, “If the Republicans win, I’m not going back.” I was totally hooked from the beginning. Much like the 2008 Obama campaign itself, the story is about hope and change, and the relationship between the unlikely lovers is touching, restoring both Bruno and Addie’s faith in the world. All the way through, though, I kept thinking of the title …

For a chance to win one of these books, simply leave a comment below.

This post originally appeared on my former blog, StyleSubstanceSoul.com.