Readers will gain insight into the doomed lives of the last of the Romanovs to rule Russia through the eyes of the eldest grand duchess, Olga. Over the course of the novel, Olga grows from a naïve young girl, mothering her often neglected younger sisters, to a woman with strong opinions who must nonetheless watch history unfold and act through others to control her own fate. Turnbull recreates the uncertainty and anxiety of those last days but also holds out hope for a different--if not happy, at least a less tragic--ending.

Fans of Meet Me at the Museum, Youngson's first novel, will not find the same epistolary structure or poignant philosophical musings in this second outing. Narrowboat Summer has its own pleasures, though, as we witness two very ordinary middle age women, Eve and Sally, step out of their humdrum lives and agree on the spur of the moment to pilot a narrow boat through the canals of England while the boat's owner seeks medical treatment. How much a reader enjoys Narrowboat Summer will depend on how closely they identify with Eve and Sally.

Lots of World War II novels and histories have been published lately, but Larson's is a compulsive, stay-up-way-past-bedtime read. He makes Churchill's political brinkmanship so thrilling, it's easy to forget everything you learned about history and turn each page waiting to see how each maneuver will turn out. Churchill is not the only draw, though. We become invested in the love life of his personal secretary, Jock Colville, worry about what Churchill's ne'er-do-well son will do to embarrass him next, and dread each passing night as more bombs fall on London. But upon finishing The Splendid and The Vile, all you feel is gratitude for all the men and women who stood in the way of Hitler's campaign to take over Europe and possibly the world.

Readers will root for Lillian, the tough-as-nails yet vulnerable heroine, as she takes on the challenge of caring for two traumatized children who catch fire when emotionally overwhelmed. Wilson's deft use of spontaneous combustion as a symbol of trauma, healing, and cathartic acceptance is deeply satisfying. Readers new to new fabulism as a genre will be wowed, while fans of Karen Russell, Aimee Bender, and George Saunders will love this novel and will want to seek out more of Wilson's work.

Fans of Paul Auster's 4321, Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, Andrew Sean Greer's The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells, and Jo Walton's My Real Children will enjoy Dara Horn's novel. What doesn't change for Rachel across her many lifetimes is her love for her children. This makes her a sympathetic character and one readers will root for.

A reader looking for a modern-day Robinsonade will not find it in these pages. Castle of Water is a pastiche with a tongue-in-cheek tone. It gives a nod and a wink to previous castaway stories but never delves deeply enough into the tradition to truly come into dialogue with them. This may have proved charming and fresh, if Barry and Sophie were less self-absorbed and more likable characters.

This is a wonderful, character-driven mystery. While new readers can jump right into the adventures of this first (would-be) lady deputy sheriff in turn-of-the-century New Jersey, readers familiar with Girl Waits With Gun will enjoy the glimpses they get of Constance's sisters, the stolid, acerbic Norma and the lovely Fleurette, as well as revel in the growing mutual regard Constance and Sheriff Heath have for each other. As was true for Girl Waits With Gun, part of the fascination of Lady Cop Makes Trouble is the meticulous research the author did into the lives of the real Kopp sisters when writing these books. Lady Cop Makes Trouble would appeal to readers of mysteries and historical fiction and would be an excellent pick for book club discussion. Because of its strong heroines, it would also appeal to YA readers.