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Close Yet Far by Sierra Treewater and Roberta R. Carr is an emotionally charged novel about Coral and Shay, two bright and ambitious teenagers who lead very different lives. Coral’s perfect family lives in a beautiful house, while Shay and her mother have been homeless since the premature loss of Shay’s father. Thanks to a school speech competition, Shay has a chance to showcase her talent, leading to Coral becoming aware of her privilege. With intimate prose supporting two sensitively drawn protagonists, Close Yet Far is a story about social justice and friendship that will make readers laugh, cry, and […]

A combination of expositional narration, poetry, and photography told in episodic form, all detailing the life of a Black woman in America, Jigsaw Puzzle in a Vortex: A Collection of Memoirs by Aurora M. Lewis is an extraordinary and original take on the memoir genre. Growing up in southern California in the 50s and 60s, Lewis tells an unsparing story of racism and abuse, but also of beauty, defiance, and a very touching family life. A feast for the senses, both aesthetically and emotionally, this beautifully composed book is an exceptional mixed-media literary work for its honesty and its artistry.[…]

The Cat That Winked by Anna McClure Sholl, originally published in 1908, is an utterly charming children’s book about an old woman who has fallen on hard times and the efforts of her faithful cat to help her out. Expertly curated in this edition by Reno Fernandez, who provides informative footnotes and even study questions at the end, this wonderful, funny, imaginative, and heart-tugging book will delight both children and adults and firmly deserves rediscovery. Some of the changes in the abridged text could use more elucidation on why they were made, but otherwise this is an enchanting text that […]

An inventive and sharply written erotic thriller, Royal Caleva: Gabriel by Nancy Herkness is driven forward by a real sense of emotional truth in a wholly imaginative setting. Gabriel, Duke of Belancor in the fictional island nation of Caleva, has suffered a double trauma: being kidnapped and losing the sense of hearing necessary for his skill as a flamenco guitarist. However, meeting Quinn, the American woman responsible for tracing his abductors, is going to change both of their lives unexpectedly. Bringing to life a world of romance, intrigue, and believable characters with genuine personal stakes at play, this first installment […]

A fascinating take on Christian myths that engages both the head and the heart, A Divine Invite by Maggie Havoc is a highly original work of spiritual fantasy. Ellie is a trainee police officer struggling with her weight and her self-esteem whose life is forever changed by an encounter with the divine, allowing her to see supernatural beings and the battle between light and dark that is all around us, and sending her on a quest to understand her birthright before she is dragged down to hell forever. Breezily and thoughtfully written, the novel takes good-against-evil fantasy into decidedly dark […]