Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
It’s always enlightening to be able to walk in the shoes of another. Dovetails in the Grass is a powerful book that affords that unique opportunity among the Dakota Sioux as they collide with white settlers on the Minnesota prairie in the early 1860s. Samantha Specks’ moving story begins just hours after the tragic real-life […]
Marcello’s artfully distinctive love story flows like a sentimental ballad. Cenotaphs is a tender love story about two very different individuals embarking on an unconventional relationship that is both terrifying and rewarding. Ben Sanna is well into his golden years, trying to find redemption from a few bad choices that he cannot fully put behind
Destiny of Dreams: Time Is Dear is an eye-opening look at the long-lasting effects of religious persecution on a hardworking Armenian family from those dark years at the turn of the century, and then again in the 1960s. Hrant is but a young boy watching his family try to escape genocide. Rather than becoming embittered
A grand emotional journey that exudes warmth and hope. The dawn of the 1920s has ascended and change is in the air. The devastating effects of the 1918 influenza have begun to subside and the Great War has ended. Lou can’t imagine her life as a vapid socialite or a family woman, so she makes
The expression ‘roll with the punches’ makes sense in the context of adapting to a difficult situation in order to minimize or mitigate the impact. While Eddy Kimes and his wife, Gayle, aren’t facing opponents in a boxing ring, they are certainly learning how to ‘roll with the punches’ as they encounter dramatic life changes.
Effortless yet sincere collection of intimate human stories. “But nothing stays the same. Not forever. Not the wars or the weather or the wind.” From the humble work of a shopkeeper to a single heartbreaking moment of loss, The Old Men Who Row Boats and Other Stories is a delicate collection of incisive short stories
If you think all librarians are meek older ladies wearing horn-rimmed reading glasses with pearly beaded straps, then Syntell Smith’s novel is going to totally alter your opinion of these hard-working state employees! Book Endings is a character-driven drama that focuses on the employees at the 58th Street Branch Library in bustling Manhattan. The theatrics
Breathes new life into a consequential time period. The Turn is a gripping and objective look at American history, specifically of President Abraham Lincoln and his inner circle, and the ideologies and politics that ruled the day. Spanning nearly a decade in the mid-1800s, DL Fowler fills in history’s gaps with intelligent deductions and a
A stunning emotional journey. Fate may be a cruel mistress, but she doesn’t always get the last word. As a child, Emma had to endure the tragic loss of her best friend Kate to an indomitable enemy. Vowing then and there to fight the brain cancer that stole Kate from her, Emma has devoted her
Feels like a found collection of beloved memories from a true literary icon. In Love’s Labour’s Won: The Secret Life of William Shakespeare, William Gray seamlessly blends historical records with believable fiction. This tantalizing fictionalized retelling of the life of one of the most acclaimed writers ever to live is a treat for lovers of
A dusky, gorgeous paranormal fantasy novel. Sold into servitude as a young child, Asagi’s mother dressed the young boy as a girl to protect him. With master after master, the gender ambiguity continues to draw unwanted attention, cruelty and abuse, forcing Asagi to retreat into herself and shut others out. Years later, Asagi is tasked
Gripping and suspenseful. Rachel Goldberg has put a lot of effort into distancing herself from her past. Raised in a household that included an uncompromising and overbearing Orthodox Jewish grandmother, Rachel’s lifestyle is nothing like her formative years. But her progressive views do more than separate her from family. Rachel tries to ignore it when
A recent university graduate, Richard is eager to begin his career in teaching. With improbable timing, his grandfather suffers a stroke and leaves Richard as the sole full-time caregiver. Lovingly, Richard puts his entire life on hold to care for all the daily needs of his ailing relative. During their time together, his grandfather whets
A surprisingly touching, and at times tender, tale of a man haunted by his choices. A successful novelist by any account, Charlie Forte is putting the finishing touches on his magnum opus. Only this story will transcend the written word. This is the story Charlie. His conquests, his insecurities, his missed opportunities, his successes. “No
More a novella than a full-length novel, The Plot Against Heaven is an unconventional love story about a man named Paul Desuthe. Paul lodges a complaint to Heaven about an error that took his wife. Kate died tragically in an accident and Paul demands to speak to God about the injustice. Paul makes his way
A grand tale of sensuality and sensibility set in the exciting and evolving California of the mid-1800s. Elisabeth Parker travels to California with her new husband, Nate, with the hopes of striking it rich in gold and reuniting with her father. Generally more liberal than her upbringing would deem proper, Elisabeth doesn’t play the part
A witty contemporary fiction novel that features a quirky main character navigating the unsteady waters of change. Nora Novak loves animals, good hummus, and her dependable routine. After spending a third of her life in the same research lab in Cleveland, Nora faces an abrupt change in her career. This shift comes on the heels
A truly refreshing novel that will spark conversations. Kennedy Barnes is nothing if not determined. So when the young man ‘discovers’ an all but unknown blues artist who may actually be the father of rock and roll, Kennedy leaves home in search of the musician. Traveling from Pittsburgh to Colorado with little more than a
Brave has managed to capture blistering heartache and raw beauty in this masterful symphony of literature. They Lived They Were at Brighton Beach is the story of a young DJ who gets his heart broken and learns to love again. Only, that is an oversimplification of this brilliant contemporary tale. Ilya Nikolayevich Gagarin is an
A Little Chatter is an eclectic collection of short stories chronicling small moments in time snatched from a variety of different people. Some of the characters wrestle with life decisions. Should I finish my education? How do I end the negativity? Is it time to get tested? While the stories change, there are a few
Unexpectedly insightful and surprisingly poignant. If you choose to judge a book by its cover, Of Reality and Dream: Tales for Underground is an amazing read. If you choose to judge a book by its content, Of Reality and Dream: Tales for Underground certainly holds up under scrutiny! Although conceived when the author was but
This impactual collection of stories highlights the perils women face from every corner of the globe. Woman is a small collection of short stories that are related, not by geography or blood, but through the shared sufferings and mistreatment of women the world over. The stories are dark and desperate, filled with the tragedies that
Cassie is a NICU nurse who really needs a vacation. The constant pressure of a high stress job has left her with persistent headaches and lingering fatigue, and a trip to Hawaii with her wonderful boyfriend sounds like the perfect escape for her troubles. While enjoying an excursion on their last day in paradise, Cassie
In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow is a breathtaking spiritual journey. Trudging her way to way work in a munitions factory in Japan, Kiyomi Oshiro watches a man fall from the sky. The war is underway and the man that falls to his death is Micah Lund, a bombardier with a heart full of
