Allen Levi’s debut novel is reminiscent of “The Millionaire,” a 1950s TV show in which a reclusive benefactor donates a million dollars each week to a total stranger. Residents of Golden, Georgia, know their new neighbor only as Theo, who offers them something better than money.

Arriving in the spring, Theo discovers a bar decorated with pencil portraits of Golden citizens. He decides to purchase them, one by one, and get acquainted with each subject. During the interview he presents the...

Stephanie Cardel’s novel reminds me how tough it is to be a teenager. Romantic desires compete with career goals, while parents and friends warn you that the choices you make will resonate the rest of your life. And if you’re like Madison Ragland, determined to be a good Christian girl, pleasing yourself often conflicts with pleasing God.

Madison begins her senior year with hopes of becoming a ballet dancer. Her boyfriend, Calvin Westfall, is leaving for college. Madison hopes to marry him one...

Most stories about illegal immigration are predictable: either you sneak into a country and get caught, or you succeed and struggle to survive. Laila Lalami’s novel uses such stories to tell us about the Moroccan people and their customs.

There’s Murad Idrissi, who spends his days trying to make a living off tourists. When his escape attempt fails, he works in a bazaar while dreaming of becoming a writer. Faten Khatibi escapes Morocco only to end up as a prostitute in Madrid. Hatima Bouhamsa...