Dear Great Book Guru, I always feel September is the time of beginnings - the real New Year - certainly not January – such a middling time of year! Saying that, I am looking to start the year off with a very good book, something out of my comfort zone. Any thoughts? Starting in September Dear Starting in September, Charlotte McConaghy’s WILD DARK SHORE might be a good book to start off your year. Set slightly in the future, this novel takes place in a very special place – a tiny island off Antarctica – Shearwater. Once a hub of scientific research, it is now deserted except for the Salt family, caretakers of what remains of the island after rising sea levels have almost destroyed it. The story opens with the Salts – Dominic and his three children - finding a woman washed ashore and near death after the worst storm the island has ever experienced. The woman, Rowan, is saved by them and gradually we learn the secrets that each of the characters is hiding. The five characters look into the future and see their lives off-island, surviving but living in a world coping with horrific climate changes. We learn of Dominic’s tragic losses and his attempts to make things better for his children. And, of course, throughout we have the mystery of Rowan’s strange arrival. The five points of view shift from chapter to chapter giving us a unique perspective into their lives. This plus the description of the incredibly beautiful flora and fauna in this disappearing piece of the world make for an extraordinarily compelling read – highly recommended!