A Better World by Sarah Langan is being marketed as “Shirley Jackson on mushrooms,” which is an extremely accurate description of this sinister dystopia.

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is reading cotton candy, the kind of book you bring to the beach because you want to be entertained but don’t want to think too hard. We all need a book like this every once in a while.

Mary Kubica’s novel, She’s Not Sorry, is her ninth contribution to the thriller genre since The Good Girl was critically and commercially acclaimed ten years ago. (Apparently, this is one woman without writer’s block). For those familiar with her other books, Kubica’s latest effort is strong when comparing it to her repertoire, earning a star from Booklist and Library Journal.

What Happened to Nina by Dervla McTiernan is the best book I’ve read this year. It’s engrossing from start to finish, playing out two scenarios, either of which could be construed as a parent’s worst nightmare, and leading to an ending that made me sit and think for quite a while.

A historical fiction caper, C.J. Wray’s The Excitements is witty, well-researched (World War II buffs will appreciate the level of detail), and engaging from start to finish, with Wray expertly marrying up past and present as our two heroines have one last hurrah.