Special Collections
Benetech’s Global Certified Accessible Titles
Description: Benetech’s GCA program is the first independent third-party EPUB certification to verify ebook accessibility. By creating content that is born accessible, publishers can meet the needs of all readers. Learn more: https://bornaccessible.benetech.org/
- Table View
- List View
Black Joy
by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-GiggettsA timely collection of deeply personal, uplifting, and powerful essays that celebrate the redemptive strength of Black joy—in the vein of Black Girls Rock, You Are Your Best Thing, and I Really Needed This Today.When Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts wrote an essay on Black joy for The Washington Post, she had no idea just how deeply it would resonate. But the outpouring of responses affirmed her own lived experience: that Black joy is not just a weapon of resistance, it is a tool for resilience. With this book, Tracey aims to gift her community with a collection of lyrical essays about the way joy has evolved, even in the midst of trauma, in her own life. Detailing these instances of joy in the context of Black culture allows us to recognize the power of Black joy as a resource to draw upon, and to challenge the one-note narratives of Black life as solely comprised of trauma and hardship. Black Joy is a collection that will recharge you. It is the kind of book that is passed between friends and offers both challenge and comfort at the end of a long day. It is an answer for anyone who needs confirmation that they are not alone and a brave place to quiet their mind and heal their soul.
Storm Rising
by Chris HautyThis instant national bestseller leads a young intelligence operative into the depths of a dangerous white supremacy conspiracy that threatens to tear the country apart in a &“high adrenaline adventure&” (Booklist).Intelligence operative Hayley Chill is pursing the truth about her father&’s mysterious fate, which government officials seem determined to hide from her. But when she stumbles upon a ciphered document under the floorboards of her father&’s house, it becomes impossible to ignore the questions about his death. Was it suicide, or was it murder, designed to protect a deeper secret? She fears what she&’s discovered may be connected to current rumors of a dark conspiracy, one that no one will substantiate. Hayley&’s been loyal to Washington; has it been as loyal to her? With permission from her handler to probe deeper, Hayley is led into a terrifying subculture of white supremacy within the United States military. As her investigation intensifies, she uncovers an expansive conspiracy to bring about the secession of several states from the country. It&’s up to Hayley to stop a second Civil War before it starts while also confronting the ultimate truth about her father&’s harrowing deeds in this &“timely and terrifying read&” (Nick Petrie, author of The Runaway).
A Week to Change Your Life
by Dr Olivia AudreyRenowned naturopathic doctor to the stars shares a &“perfect roadmap&” (Dr. Mike Moreno, New York Times bestselling author of The 17 Day Diet book series) to the life-changing seven-day plan personalized to you and your birthday that can radically improve your health and well-being.Do you regularly get the Monday Blues? Are you always tired on Fridays, even though you want to be excited for the weekend? There may be more to it than just a long work week. Over the course of a week, the human body goes through a cycle of self-regulation. Our energy levels, inflammation levels, capacity to focus, and even our immunity all fluctuate naturally based on this internal seven-day cycle, scientifically known as the circaseptan rhythm. Now, Dr. Olivia Audrey reveals how we can tap into the power of this seven-day cycle to transform our health and overhaul our mind and mood. The key to understanding your own circaseptan rhythm is, remarkably, from the day of the week on which you were born. The birth experience is like a hormonal storm that inflames the body, one that is repeated week after week with an ebb and flow of inflammation and repair that lasts seven days. This cycle has a measurable impact on mood, energy, and all the facets of physical health. Dr. Audrey&’s protocol provides instructions for aligning your health goals with your body&’s natural circaseptan rhythm, unlocking extraordinary benefits. With her accessible writing and actionable advice, Dr. Audrey reveals the secret to harnessing your body&’s natural rhythm in order to heal whatever ails you and boost how you look, feel, and live. This plan can be effective for losing weight, gaining focus, fighting specific diseases, or simply feeling more in tune with your life. A Week to Change Your Life is the ultimate program to &“show us a different way of looking at the problems, reminding us to keep practicing and to feel joy,&” (Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York) so you can create a life of radiant health and energy.
The Lords of Easy Money
by Christopher LeonardThe New York Times bestselling business journalist Christopher Leonard infiltrates one of America&’s most mysterious institutions—the Federal Reserve—to show how its policies spearheaded by Chairman Jerome Powell over the past ten years have accelerated income inequality and put our country&’s economic stability at risk.If you asked most people what forces led to today&’s unprecedented income inequality and financial crashes, no one would say the Federal Reserve. For most of its history, the Fed has enjoyed the fawning adoration of the press. When the economy grew, it was credited to the Fed. When the economy imploded in 2008, the Fed got credit for rescuing us. But the Fed also has a unique power to reshape the American economy for the worse, which it did, fatefully, on November 4, 2010 through a radical intervention called quantitative easing. In just a few short years, the Fed more than quadrupled the money supply with one goal: to encourage banks and other investors to extend more risky debt. Leaders at the Fed knew that they were undertaking a bold experiment that would produce few real jobs, with long-term risks that were hard to measure. But the Fed proceeded anyway...and then found itself trapped. Once it printed all that money, there was no way to withdraw it from circulation. The Fed tried several times, only to see market start to crash, at which point the Fed turned the money spigot back on. That&’s what it did when COVID hit, printing 300 years&’ worth of money in two short months. Which brings us to now: Ten years on, the gap between the rich and poor has grown dramatically, stock prices are trading far above what&’s justified by actual corporate profits, corporate debt in America is at an all-time high, and this debt is being traded by big banks on Wall Street, leaving them vulnerable—just as they were during the mortgage boom. Middle-class wages have barely budged in a decade, and consumers are buried under credit card debt, car loan debt, and student debt. The Lords of Easy Money tells the shocking, riveting tale of how quantitative easing is imperiling the American economy through the story of the one man who tried to warn us. This will be the first inside story of how we really got here—and why we face a frightening future.
A Ballad of Love and Glory
by Reyna GrandeA Long Petal of the Sea meets Cold Mountain in this sweeping historical saga following a Mexican army nurse and an Irish soldier who must fight, at first for their survival and then for their love, amidst the atrocity of the Mexican-American War—from the author of the &“timely and riveting&” (People) Across a Hundred Mountains and The Distance Between Us.A forgotten war. An unforgettable romance. The year is 1846. After the controversial annexation of Texas, the US Army marches south to provoke war with México over the disputed Río Grande boundary. Ximena Salomé is a gifted Mexican healer who dreams of building a family with the man she loves on the coveted land she calls home. But when Texas Rangers storm her ranch and shoot her husband dead, her dreams are burned to ashes. Vowing to honor her husband&’s memory and defend her country, Ximena uses her healing skills as an army nurse on the frontlines of the ravaging war. Meanwhile, John Riley, an Irish immigrant in the Yankee army desperate to help his family escape the famine devastating his homeland, is sickened by the unjust war and the unspeakable atrocities against his countrymen by nativist officers. In a bold act of defiance, he swims across the Río Grande and joins the Mexican Army—a desertion punishable by execution. He forms the St. Patrick&’s Battalion, a band of Irish soldiers willing to fight to the death for México&’s freedom. When Ximena and John meet, a dangerous attraction blooms between them. As the war intensifies, so does their passion. Swept up by forces with the power to change history, they fight not only for the fate of a nation but for their future together. Heartbreaking and lyrical, Reyna Grande&’s spellbinding saga, inspired by true events and historical figures, brings these two unforgettable characters to life and illuminates a largely forgotten moment in history that impacts the US-México border to this day. Will Ximena and John survive the chaos of this bitter war, or will their love be devoured along with the land they strive to defend?
Good Eggs
by Rebecca HardimanNamed a Best Feel-Good Book by The Washington Post When a home aide arrives to assist a rambunctious family at a crossroads, simmering tensions boil over in this &“witty, exuberant debut&” (People) that is an &“absolute delight from start to finish&” (Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author)—perfect for fans of Where&’d You Go, Bernadette and Evvie Drake Starts Over.When Kevin Gogarty&’s eighty-three-year-old mother is caught shoplifting yet again, he has no choice but to hire a caretaker to keep an eye on her. Kevin, recently unemployed, is already at his wits&’ end tending to a full house while his wife travels to exotic locales for work, leaving him solo with his sulky, misbehaved teenaged daughter. Into the Gogarty fray steps Sylvia, the upbeat home aide, who appears at first to be their saving grace—until she catapults the Gogarty clan into their greatest crisis yet. &“Bracing, hilarious, warm&” (Judy Blundell, New York Times bestselling author), Good Eggs is an irresistibly charming study in self-determination; the notion that it&’s never too late to start living; and the unique redemption that family, despite its maddening flaws, can offer.
Getting Clean With Stevie Green
by Swan HuntleyThe author of the &“sparkling dark romance&” (Redbook) We Could Be Beautiful brings her &“wit and verve&” (The New York Times Book Review) to this quirky, feel-good novel about one woman&’s messy journey from self-delusion to self-acceptance.At thirty-seven, Stevie Green has had it with binge drinking and sleeping with strange men. She&’s confused about her sexuality and her purpose in life. When her mother asks her to return to her hometown of La Jolla to help her move into a new house, she&’s desperate enough to say yes. The move goes so well that Stevie decides to start her own decluttering business. She stops drinking. She hires her formerly estranged sister, Bonnie, to be her business partner. She rekindles a romance with her high school sweetheart, Brad. Things are better than ever—except for the complicated past that Stevie can&’t seem to outrun. Who was responsible for the high school scandal that caused her life to take a nosedive twenty years earlier? Why is she so secretive about the circumstances of her father&’s death? Why are her feelings for her ex-friend, Chris, so mystifying? If she&’s done drinking, then why can&’t she seem to declutter the mini wine bottles from her car? A winsome, fast-paced read, Getting Clean With Stevie Green is about coming to terms with who you are, resolving the pain of your past, and accepting the truth of your life in all its messy glory.
Please Join Us
by Catherine McKenzieNamed one of 2022&’s best and most-anticipated thrillers by Goodreads, CrimeReads, Motherly, Westport Magazine, and more! A &“propulsive thriller about secret organizations, hidden agendas, and the lengths one woman will go to reclaim her life&” (Laura Dave, author of Reese&’s Book Club Pick The Last Thing He Told Me) from USA TODAY bestselling author Catherine McKenzie.At thirty-nine, Nicole Mueller&’s life is on the rocks. Her once brilliant law career is falling apart. She and her husband, Dan, are soon to be forced out of the apartment they love. After a warning from her firm&’s senior partners, she receives an invitation from an exclusive women&’s networking group, Panthera Leo. Membership is anonymous, but every member is a successful professional. It sounds like the perfect solution to help Nicole revive her career. So, despite Dan&’s concerns that the group might be a cult, Nicole signs up for their retreat in Colorado. Once there, she meets the other women who will make up her Pride. A CEO, an actress, a finance whiz, a congresswoman: Nicole can&’t believe her luck. The founders of Panthera Leo are equally as impressive. They explain the group&’s core philosophy: they&’re a girl&’s club in a boy&’s club world. Nicole is all in. And when she gets home, she soon sees dividends. Her new network quickly provides her with clients that help her relaunch her career, and a great new apartment too. The favors she has to provide in return seem benign. But then she&’s called to the congresswoman&’s apartment late at night where she&’s pressed into helping her cover up a crime. And suddenly, Dan&’s concerns that something more sinister is at play seem all too relevant. Can Nicole extricate herself from the group before it&’s too late? Or will joining Panthera Leo be the biggest mistake of her life?
The It Girl
by Ruth Ware&“The pages turn themselves&” (People) in this white-knuckled mystery following a woman on the search for answers a decade after her friend&’s murder from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware.April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the year, April was dead. Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah&’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April&’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide…including a murder. &“The Agatha Christie of our generation&” (David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author) presents a &“deliciously dark and utterly addictive&” (Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author) mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Greenwich Park
by Katherine FaulknerThis &“gloriously tangled game of cat and mouse&” (Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author) explores the anxieties of impending motherhood, unreliable friendship, and the high price of keeping secrets. Perfect for fans of the thrillers by Paula Hawkins and Robyn Harding.In this &“outstanding debut thriller&” (Booklist, starred review), Helen&’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class. There, she meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be who doesn&’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen&’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears. But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen&’s not the only one who&’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.
The Wires of War
by Jacob HelbergFrom the former news policy lead at Google, an urgent and groundbreaking account of the high-stakes global cyberwar brewing between Western democracies and the autocracies of China and Russia that could potentially crush democracy.From 2016 to 2020, Jacob Helberg led Google&’s global internal product policy efforts to combat disinformation and foreign interference. During this time, he found himself in the midst of what can only be described as a quickly escalating two-front technology cold war between democracy and autocracy. On the front-end, we&’re fighting to control the software—applications, news information, social media platforms, and more—of what we see on the screens of our computers, tablets, and phones, a clash which started out primarily with Russia but now increasingly includes China and Iran. Even more ominously, we&’re also engaged in a hidden back-end battle—largely with China—to control the Internet&’s hardware, which includes devices like cellular phones, satellites, fiber-optic cables, and 5G networks. This tech-fueled war will shape the world&’s balance of power for the coming century as autocracies exploit twenty-first-century methods to re-divide the world into twentieth century-style spheres of influence. Helberg cautions that the spoils of this fight are power over every meaningful aspect of our lives, including our economy, our infrastructure, our national security, and ultimately, our national sovereignty. Without a firm partnership with the government, Silicon Valley is unable to protect democracy from the autocrats looking to sabotage it from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran. The stakes of the ongoing cyberwar are no less than our nation&’s capacity to chart its own future, the freedom of our democratic allies, and even the ability of each of us to control our own fates, Helberg says. And time is quickly running out.
Among Thieves
by M. J. KuhnA thrilling fantasy debut—a high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice, and perfect for fans of Six of Crows!
In just over a year’s time, Ryia Cautella has already earned herself a reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade in the dockside city of Carrowwick—not to mention the sharpest tongue. But Ryia Cautella is not her real name. For the past six years, a deadly secret has kept her in hiding, running from town to town, doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the formidable Guildmaster—the sovereign ruler of the five kingdoms of Thamorr.
No matter how far or fast she travels, his servants never fail to track her down...but even the most powerful men can be defeated. Ryia’s path now leads directly into the heart of the Guildmaster’s stronghold, and against every instinct she has, it’s not a path she can walk alone. Forced to team up with a crew of assorted miscreants, smugglers, and thieves, Ryia must plan her next moves very carefully. If she succeeds, her freedom is won once and for all…but unfortunately for Ryia, her new allies are nearly as selfish as she is, and they all have plans of their own.
The Sea Gate
by Jane JohnsonA broken family, a house of secrets—an entrancing tale of love and courage set during the Second World War.After Rebecca&’s mother dies, she must sort through her empty flat and come to terms with her loss. As she goes through her mother&’s mail, she finds a handwritten envelope. In it is a letter that will change her life forever. Olivia, her mother&’s elderly cousin, needs help to save her beloved home. Rebecca immediately goes to visit Olivia in Cornwall only to find a house full of secrets—treasures in the attic and a mysterious tunnel leading from the cellar to the sea, and Olivia, nowhere to be found. As it turns out, the old woman is stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her house is made habitable again. Rebecca sets to work restoring the home to its former glory, but as she peels back the layers of paint and grime, she uncovers even more buried secrets—secrets from a time when the Second World War was raging, when Olivia was a young woman, and when both romance and danger lurked around every corner... A sweeping and utterly spellbinding tale of a young woman&’s courage in the face of war and the lengths to which she&’ll go to protect those she loves against the most unexpected of enemies.
The Marathon Don't Stop
by Rob KennerA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER This &“beautiful tribute to a legendary artist&” (Quincy Jones) is the first in-depth biography of Nipsey Hussle, the hip-hop mogul, artist, and activist whose transformative legacy inspired a generation with his motivational lyrics and visionary business savvy—before he was tragically shot down in the very neighborhood he was dedicated to building up. For Nipsey Hussle, &“The Marathon&” was more than a mixtape title or the name of a clothing store; it was a way of life, a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of excellence and the willpower required to overcome adversity day after day. Hussle was determined to win the race to success on his own terms, and he wanted to see his whole community in the winner&’s circle with him. A moving and powerful exploration of an extraordinary artist, The Marathon Don&’t Stop places Hussle in historical context and unpacks his complex legacy. Combining on-the-ground reporting and candid interviews, &“Rob Kenner has given us the book the world—and hip-hop and pop culture—has been waiting for…one that should be celebrated alongside the best biographies ever about iconic figures we have loved—and lost&” (Kevin Powell, author of When We Free the World).
Cults
by Max CutlerMystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside them? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of cult leaders and the people who join them? Based on the hit podcast Cults, this is essential reading for any true crime fan. Cults prey on the very attributes that make us human: our desire to belong; to find a deeper meaning in life; to live everyday with divine purpose. Their existence creates a sense that any one of us, at any time, could step off the cliff&’s edge and fall into that daunting abyss of manipulation and unhinged dedication to a misplaced cause. Perhaps it&’s this mindset that keeps us so utterly obsessed and desperate to learn more, or it&’s that the stories are so bizarre and unsettling that we are simply in awe of the mechanics that make these infamous groups tick. The premier storytelling podcast studio Parcast has been focusing on unearthing these mechanics—the cult leaders and followers, and the world and culture that gave birth to both. Parcast&’s work in analyzing dozens of case studies has revealed patterns: distinct ways that cult leaders from different generations resemble one another. What links the ten notorious figures profiled in Cults are as disturbing as they are stunning—from Manson to Applewhite, Koresh to Raël, the stories woven here are both spellbinding and disturbing. Cults is more than just a compilation of grisly biographies, however. In these pages, Parcast&’s founder Max Cutler and national bestselling author Kevin Conley look closely at the lives of some of the most disreputable cult figures and tell the stories of their rise to power and fall from grace, sanity, and decency. Beyond that, it is a study of humanity, an unflinching look at what happens when the most vulnerable recesses of the mind are manipulated and how the things we hold most sacred can be twisted into the lowest form of malevolence.
The Soulmate Equation
by Christina LaurenINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER &“Writing duo and reigning romance queens Christina Lauren are back with The Soulmate Equation, their most ambitious book to date.&” —PopSugar &“A sexy, science-filled, and surprising romance full of warmth and wit.&” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Chosen as a best pick by Bustle, Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, E! Online, PopSugar, BuzzFeed, Goodreads, Country Living, The Pioneer Woman, Woman&’s World, Bookish, Bookreporter, Frolic, and more! The New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners returns with a witty and effervescent novel about what happens when two people with everything on the line are thrown together by science—or is it fate? Perfect for fans of The Rosie Project and One Plus One.Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. After all, her father was never around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn&’t &“father material&” before her daughter was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely. But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that&’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98 percent compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly&’s founder, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can&’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get &‘to know him and we&’ll pay you. Jess—who is barely making ends meet—is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the &“Diamond&” pairing that could launch GeneticAlly&’s valuation sky-high, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist—and the science behind a soulmate—than she thought. &“Laugh-out-loud, sweet, charming, and humorous&” (Library Journal, starred review), The Soulmate Equation proves that the delicate balance between fate and choice can never be calculated.
The Beauty of Dusk
by Frank BruniFrom New York Times columnist and bestselling author Frank Bruni comes &“a book about vision loss that becomes testimony to human courage, a moving memoir that offers perspective, comfort, and hope&” (Booklist, starred review).One morning in late 2017, New York Times columnist Frank Bruni woke up with strangely blurred vision. He wondered at first if some goo or gunk had worked its way into his right eye. But this was no fleeting annoyance, no fixable inconvenience. Overnight, a rare stroke had cut off blood to one of his optic nerves, rendering him functionally blind in that eye—forever. And he soon learned from doctors that the same disorder could ravage his left eye, too. He could lose his sight altogether. In this &“moving and inspiring&” (The Washington Post) memoir, Bruni beautifully recounts his adjustment to this daunting reality, a medical and spiritual odyssey that involved not only reappraising his own priorities but also reaching out to, and gathering wisdom from, longtime friends and new acquaintances who had navigated their own traumas and afflictions. The result is a poignant, probing, and ultimately &“a positive message, a powerful reminder that with great vulnerability also comes great reward&” (Oprah Winfrey). Bruni&’s world blurred in one sense, as he experienced his first real inklings that the day isn&’t forever and that light inexorably fades, but sharpened in another. Confronting unexpected hardship, he felt more blessed than ever before. The Beauty of Dusk is &“a wonderful book. Honest. Poetic. Uplifting.&” (Lesley Stahl).
The Dearly Beloved
by Cara Wall&“This gentle, gorgeously written book may be one of my favorites ever.&” —Jenna Bush Hager (A Today show &“Read with Jenna&” Book Club Selection!) This &“moving portrait of love and friendship set against a backdrop of social change&” (The New York Times Book Review, Editor&’s Choice) traces two married couples whose lives become entangled when the husbands become copastors at a famed New York city congregation in the 1960s.Charles and Lily, James and Nan. They meet in Greenwich Village in 1963 when Charles and James are jointly hired to steward the historic Third Presbyterian Church through turbulent times. Their personal differences however, threaten to tear them apart. Charles is destined to succeed his father as an esteemed professor of history at Harvard, until an unorthodox lecture about faith leads him to ministry. How then, can he fall in love with Lily—fiercely intellectual, elegantly stern—after she tells him with certainty that she will never believe in God? And yet, how can he not? James, the youngest son in a hardscrabble Chicago family, spent much of his youth angry at his alcoholic father and avoiding his anxious mother. Nan grew up in Mississippi, the devout and beloved daughter of a minister and a debutante. James&’s escape from his desperate circumstances leads him to Nan and, despite his skepticism of hope in all its forms, her gentle, constant faith changes the course of his life. In The Dearly Beloved, Cara wall reminds us of &“the power of the novel in its simplest, richest form: bearing intimate witness to human beings grappling with their faith and falling in love,&” (Entertainment Weekly, A-) as we follow these two couples through decades of love and friendship, jealousy and understanding, forgiveness and commitment. Against the backdrop of turbulent changes facing the city and the church&’s congregation, Wall offers a poignant meditation on faith and reason, marriage and children, and the ways we find meaning in our lives. The Dearly Beloved is a gorgeous, wise, and provocative novel that is destined to become a classic.
Concord Floral
by Jordan TannahillConcord Floral is a one-million-square-foot abandoned greenhouse and a refuge for neighbourhood kids; a place all to themselves in which to dream, dare, and come of age. But hidden there is a secret no one wants to confront, and when two friends stumble upon it they set off an unstoppable chain of events, from shadows in parking lots to phone calls from the grave. It's time for the teens of Concord Floral to start talking.
Kill Me Now
by Brad FraserWhen Joey enters puberty, his father Jake finds himself in a morally ambiguous position. Joey is severely disabled, but he still has the same sexual desires as any seventeen-year-old boy, only he can’t do anything to relieve the tension. Jake is a widower whose life is devoted to his son, but when he suddenly develops a serious medical condition, he becomes the one to rely on the people around him, including his sister Twyla, his friend Robyn, and Joey’s best friend Rowdy. As Jake’s condition worsens, an ethical dilemma troubles the household as everyone is forced to consider the possibility of saying goodbye.
The Fish Eyes Trilogy
by Anita Majumdar and Maria NguyenFish Eyes is the story of Meena, a classically trained Indian dancer who, despite being obsessed with Bollywood movies and her dance career, just wants to be like the rest of her high-school friends. When she develops a massive crush on Buddy, the popular boy at school, Meena contemplates turning down an incredible opportunity to pursue him, even if he barely notices her.Boys With Cars follows Naz, also a classically trained Indian dancer, who dreams of getting out of small town Port Moody to attend the University of British Columbia. But when Buddy causes a stir over Naz at school, Naz’s university plans begin to crumble quickly.Let Me Borrow That Top centres on Candice, a girl who appropriates Meena’s Indian dance skills and bullies Naz after a nasty rumour spreads through the halls of their high school. But like her two enemies, Candice shares a passion for Indian dancing, and has just been accepted to the Conventry School of Bhangra. Will she leave behind the comforts of home to pursue her dreams?
Mahmoud
by Tara Grammy and Tom Arthur DavisMahmoud is an exuberant, if overwhelmingly passionate, Iranian engineer-cum-taxi driver who relishes the chance to regale his passengers with his love of Persian culture. Emanuelos, a fabulously gay Spanish perfume salesman, can talk a mile-a-minute about his boyfriend, Behnam. And then there's Tara, an awkwardly charming Iranian Canadian preteen who just wants to be "normal," whatever that means. When the three strangers find themselves crossing paths in the busy streets of Toronto, their experiences with racism, sexism, homophobia, homesickness, and everything in between become intertwined in unexpected ways.
Yukonstyle
by Sarah Berthiaume and Nadine DesrochersGarin was two years old when his mother disappeared from a run-down East Vancouver neighbourhood. And now that the Robert Pickton trials are gaining national attention, Garin wonders if his mother, a First Nations woman, could be one of the unidentified victims. His ailing father isn't forthcoming with answers, and Garin's suspicions are at an all-time high. In the midst of all this, his roommate Yuko has taken in Kate, a young pregnant hitchhiker who unintentionally wreaks havoc on their friendship. But when Garin's father is hospitalized, nothing else matters but finally determining the truth about his mother. In this deftly written play, the characters grapple with the harsh Yukon winter within a world of racism, addiction, and loneliness.
Almighty Voice and His Wife
by Daniel David MosesAlmighty Voice and His Wife shakes up a familiar story from the Saskatchewan frontier, reimagining it from the postmodern late twentieth century. The "renegade Indian story" transforms into both an eloquent tale of tragic love and an often hilarious, fully theatrical exorcism of the hurts of history. A modern classic about the place of First Nations people in Canada.
paper SERIES
by David YeeAn unhappy orphan who finds solace in paper cut-outs of her parents, an Indian doctor who displays his medical degree in his taxi cab, and waiters who tamper with fortune cookie are some of the vibrant characters who are brought to life in this anthology of six monologues that revolve around paper. From drama to comedy to crime-thriller, Yee brings us a variety of plots and characters in a series of imaginative, thought-provoking vignettes.