My bookshelf 23 - my last half dozen: some good fiction to start off the New Year

After finishing 2025 with six non-fiction reads, I'm back to enjoying some works of fiction starting off with two Canadian novels, one a 2025 Canadian Giller Prize finalist and one that won the 2025 Giller Prize. I followed that up with an intriguing debut novel, a foodie's delight, a fast-paced light thriller, and a drama that might challenge your thinking.

There's some good reading here. Maybe there will be something in this half dozen to get you through the final months of winter.

In the order they were read:

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a 2025 Canadian Giller Prize finalist that might be best suited for the 20-something year old who is navigating life away from home for the first time. It’s a bit of mystery, a bit of romance, and a lot of coming of age.  Protagonist Pen is a Canadian from Toronto attending the university of Edinburgh, Scotland, with her childhood best friend Alice.  Pen is studious, quiet, introverted and cautious.  Besides acquiring an education, she has the ulterior motive of hunting down the Lennox family whom she believes to have some type of connection to her parents. She is able to acquire an invite to their palatial estate and soon becomes enchanted by the whole family, including their eldest son. But all is not what she sees on the surface. Alice, meanwhile, wants to make her way to the bright lights of the main stage of theatre. She is the perfect opposite to Pen in all ways, being outgoing, vivacious, and willing to take risks - they even look opposite. There are several themes to this book -  the concept of friendship and how two very different people  influence each other, finding one’s way into adulthood with the freedom but also with the risks, the roles of men and women,  the influence of our past generations on who we become, confronting the skeletons in our closet, the meaning of motherhood. There are quite a few characters, and maybe the middle dragged just a bit but the ending was strong – and you do really need to read to the end to get the fulness of the book.  There is sexual content and language that some might find uncomfortable. This book is well-written, and I think it's worth some contemplation or discussion in a book club. Rating: 4.5/5

Pick A Colour won the 2025 Canadian Giller Prize. It's a character study told in the first person by sharp and observant former female boxer Ning who owns and operates a nail salon where all the staff are identically dressed, have identical haircuts, and have name tags that say ‘Susan’. Ning tells us what is going through her mind about her customers and her staff and herself as she juggles business and clients and staff. As well, to pass the time, the staff speak, sometimes crudely, in their traditional language about the clients sitting in front of them.  On the surface, this is just a commentary about a day in the life of a nail salon, but there are plenty of themes to contemplate.  The story is rich about the position of immigrant women, especially in the service industry. It’s about being unnoticed and underestimated. It’s about stereotypes and power. It’s about how all of us  see ourselves versus how we present to others. It’s about our inner needs for love and fulfilment and contentedness and how we are influenced by people who cross our paths and sometimes leave us behind; and it’s about how we don’t fool anyone, only ourselves.  As Ning says, we don’t have to say a word – who we are is written all over us in the small details. There are some delicious metaphors to ponder, as well, such as Ning’s missing finger or all the workers looking the same and using the same name or the ultra-rigidity of Ning’s salon or even the phrase itself,  Pick A Colour.   And  there is sometimes just a hint of risk or sexuality. Pick A Colour is a short, fast read. It’s not exciting or full of action. It’s just full of character and might give you plenty to think about - and just might challenge some viewpoints. Rating: 3.5/5

I like debut novels because they sometimes bring about  new energy and creativity, and The Heir Apparent does just that. 29 year old Lexi is happily studying to be a doctor in Australia and working towards a love relationship when she receives word that her father and slightly older brother have been killed in an accident.  The problem is, this makes Lexi the next in line for the British throne as her grandmother is the Queen of England.  Lexi’s life changes in an instant as she is returned to London and is now under constant public scrutiny. She is given one year to decide if she wants the role and responsibilities of the Crown or if she wants to disengage herself from the royal family and follow her dreams. There are many  twists and turns and struggles and just a bit of sexual tension in the ensuing year.  There are also many characters involved, and you might not like many of them that much. There are several things I really like about this book. First is the dilemma of accepting your pre-determined duty or following your heart. Then there is the insight into the royal life, of the control and the expectations and the games that are played. I liked the depiction of rural Australian life presented in such a contrast to the bustle of London.  Finally, I liked the question about the future of the  British monarchy, a very real topic. The Heir Apparent is an easy page-turner.  There’s  drama,  mystery, and just enough romance. This is not just another fluffy princess story. Rating: 4.0/5

The Paris Novel is by acclaimed food critic, editor, and author Ruth Reichl.  Anyone who loves literature, art, fashion, and food might really like this book. Although it gets off to a somber start and, trigger warning, there is a scene involving the sexual abuse of a minor,  the story then takes a whole new trajectory that is a bit mystery, a bit self-discovery, a bit history, a bit fairytale, a bit whimsy, and a whole lot of rich descriptions of Parisian life. Cautious and somewhat rigid Stella receives a note from her deceased mother’s lawyer that she must take her small inheritance and go to Paris – and that is all.  Although she initially continues to live her ‘safe’ life in Paris, coincidence after coincidence soon start to happen.  We are introduced to the world of Paris fashion, art, literature, history, and food. Meanwhile,  Stella starts to make some interesting discoveries and learns some truths about her life and herself. This short book isn’t rich in plot, and it isn’t dynamic.  The strength is  in the descriptive writing, especially about food, a topic which Ruth Reichl is an expert.   If you are a foodie, some of that food talk will make your mouth water and your nose twitch and your eyes glaze over.  The story contains both fictional and real-life characters.  Do read the author’s note at the end which provides some insight.  There are also several discussion questions at the end which you might want to ponder by yourself or discuss with a friend. So, if you like slower paced books with smooth writing about art, literature, fashion and food,  you might want to check out the Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. I quite liked this book. Rating: 4.0/5

The First Time I Saw Him is the sequel to  best seller The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.  It’s so fast and engaging, you can read it in a good day. The First Time I Saw Him takes off running where The Last Thing He Told Me ends, and the author works in the back story, and more,  through clever  flashbacks. It is action-packed from Page 1. Hannah’s new artisan wood exhibition is interrupted when her husband Owen, who went into hiding over five years ago due to turning evidence against an organized crime family, turns up suddenly and very briefly and in disguise. When she gets home, she receives two messages, one to search in her pocket  where she finds a flash drive and  one telling her to get out of the house immediately. As you remember,  not only has Owen had to ‘disappear’ but Hannah’s and their daughter Bailey’s lives have also been at risk necessitating constant caution and hypervigilance and constant surveillance by security. The text messages force Hannah and Bailey  to drop everything  and go on a cat and mouse chase to save their lives. There are plenty of  smart twists and turns to this plot.  Hannah and Bailey have long had an action plan in place just for this moment, but there is also clearly someone else assisting their escape. We are re-introduced to characters from The Last Thing He Told Me such as old friends and grandpa Nicholas Bell. There are some deep chacracters with lots of moral dilemmas, and you are never quite sure who to trust. I’d classify this book as a light psychological thriller action story mixed in with underlying themes of  love and devotion, resilience, and loyalty - and the question of just how far would you go to for your family?  It’s a fast and simple read and some good diversion for the winter weather. Rating: 4.0/5

Good Guys will certainly challenge everything you thought you knew about large non-profit helping agencies. Claire Talbot left her former career as a reputation manager in the corporate world for a position as publicist for the fictional Children of the World, an NGO (Non-governmental Organization) that helps impoverished children throughout the world lead better lives through education, food, shelter, and medical attention.  She believes this career move will be much more altruistic and satisfying.  Unfortunately, the agency is facing financial hardship; and Claire arranges for an A-list actress to volunteer at their Central America compound in order to drum up attention - and financial donations. The actress decides to adopt an infant and to provide a huge monetary donation that will give the agency a whole new life.  But when a journalist starts to investigate, all is not what it seems. Whether it is publicist Claire or agency founder  Crispin or director Anya or country leader Lucca or journalist Emmanuelle or actress Dallas, all appear to have their own vested interests or motives that might not align with philanthropy.  You might not like any of them very much.  Now, whether or not some of the scenes in Good Guys are completely realistic, there is much in this book to ponder – the role of helping organizations, power, greed, privilege, personal intentions, philanthropy, and the very question of  ‘help’ itself.  It will open your eyes to behind the scenes actions and issues in the world of philanthropy.   Do your homework before making financial donations; but don't become disillusioned with doing our part - not every helping organization is corrupt. Good Guys is an engaging, insightful drama and would make a great book club choice. Rating: 4.5/5

And that concludes my last half dozen. My order of preference: 1) Good Guys 2) The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus 3) The Heir Apparent 4) The Paris Novel 5) The First Time I Saw Him and 6) Pick a Colour

"To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." —Victor Hugo