Circle of Days: A Novel by Ken Follett (Grand Central Publishing). Reviewed by Holly Smith. “Even by Follettian standards, it’s clunky. But you can’t fight city hall, so just enjoy the ride. Besides, it’s kind of cool spending time in c. 2500 BCE Europe and learning how flint was mined, wild cattle were herded, calendars were developed, and oral sex was refined. If a particular scene makes you roll your eyes, give it three paragraphs, and the author will have moved on.”

A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets by Andy Shallal (OR Books). Reviewed by William Rice. “In the book, Shallal displays a radical’s ambivalence about America: big fan of the nation’s ideals, less than excited about its historical follow-through. Like a lot of immigrants and people of color, he has good reasons for his mixed feelings. A Muslim native of Iraq, his experience of the U.S. began as a child with the scatological mispronunciation of his first name, Anas, and continued bumpily thereafter — especially when his birth country and his adopted country were at war.”

Swallows: A Novel by Natsuo Kirino; translated by Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda (Knopf). Reviewed by Kate Preziosi. “While at the fertility clinic –– a cheery pink space with pictures of mommies and babies on the walls –– for her interview, Riki is subjected to thinly veiled questions aimed at drawing up an ideal profile that the agent can sell to prospective parents: that of a gainfully employed, well-educated, physically attractive young woman from a ‘good’ family. This kind of woman doesn’t need the money –– she just wants to do something selfless for others.”

The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic by Karl Bell (Reaktion Books). Reviewed by Mariko Hewer. “It can be all too easy, as the author points out, to view such tales about sea monsters and mystical underwater lands as mere superstitious fables, yet the underlying reasons for circulating such mythology — to make sense of a terrifyingly changeable world and our place within it — remain valid. Bell’s well-researched history does an excellent job of interpreting some of these legends.”

You Belong Here: A Novel by Megan Miranda (Marysue Rucci Books). Reviewed by Haley Huchler. “Fans of Freida McFadden and Agatha Christie will appreciate Miranda’s keen attention to detail and clever plotting. In this stellar example of the genre, the puzzle pieces of a decades-old mystery slide together in unexpected and satisfying ways. Some questions are resolved quickly, others unfurl more slowly. The story races forward over a few tense days, leading to an explosive climax. This is a book meant to be swallowed whole. No spoilers here, but the ending will haunt you for a long time to come.”

Don’t miss another excellent book review, author interview, or feature! Subscribe to our free newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Bluesky, and LinkedIn. Advertise with us here.