Set at the turn of the twentieth century, Topside by David Quarles is a stunning historical novel portraying the life of a young man growing up in a coal-mining town. When he was young, Jack Smith lost his father in a coal mining accident. A...

In The Wild Poppy by Julia Bell, Melody was determined to become a newspaper reporter. It was 1864 and female reporters were unheard of. Female occupations at the time--seamstress, governess, domestic servant, teacher--didn’t interest her in the least. Marriage was the fulfillment of a woman’s...

The Bodies That Move by Bunye Ngene is a riveting novel about what it means to immigrate to another country for safety, security, and a chance at a better life. The main character Nosa has had a hard life growing up. Responsible for his mother...

The Topography of Hidden Stories by Julia MacDonnell is a thought-provoking compilation of short stories that remind us of how far women have come in their right to equality. Each of the women faces their own traumas and personal battles as they search for their...

Scarlet was used to watching men leave her mother. Marie was an alcoholic with a shopping addiction to match. She excelled at manipulating people, including causing Scarlet to feel guilty for leaving for college. Scarlet made friends with a librarian. Amy was deaf and Scarlet...

The Eternal Conductor by Debbie Garneau Griffin is an epic family historical saga that crosses generations. DeeDee Williams and her sister have decided that it’s time for their mother, Robbie, to go into a nursing home after she broke her hip. However, when DeeDee arrives...

The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy by Richard Robbins is a heart-warming, somewhat traumatic journey into the world of spirituality and the human condition. Hana was just a 5-year-old when she watched, in horror, as her parents were murdered by the Guatemalan Army when their village...

Tumbleweed and Dreams is a slice of life novel by T. P. Graf centered around the lives of the inhabitants of an unincorporated community in Texas. Inspired by the movie Dancer, Texas, Jaime Cruz leaves his home in California and moves to find shelter in...

Would you ever consider breaking into a nursing home for a few good nights' sleep and some hearty meals? Well, homeless John Lester thought it would be a good idea. It was winter; cold and only going to get colder. After studying the comings and...

Primarily set in early eighteenth-century London, The Adventures of Tom Finch, Gentleman by Lucy May Lennox is a picaresque tale of a blind music master who triumphs over his disability to lead a thoroughly (dis)honorable life. It is a merry romp from start to finish....