I’ve had the good fortune to read several incredibly good novels in the past couple of months. What ties all of these novels together is a combination of tremendous thoughtfulness and keen insights into human nature. Some are hot off the presses, while others have been around for a while. Every one of them left me slightly stunned, all for different reasons. Every one of them has given me reason to pause, not to mention lose sleep.

Someone Else’s Love Story, by Joshilyn Jackson

Shine Shine Shine, by Lydia Nester

The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells, by Andrew Sean Greer

Is This Tomorrow,  by Caroline Leavitt

The Longings of Wayward Girls, by Karen Brown

The Beauty of Ordinary Things, by Harriet Chessman