Cotler channels classic poets to imbue his narrative with fluid sound and rhythm. T. Zachary Cotler illuminates the beautiful, disturbed mind of a fictional poet in his transcendent novel, "Ghost at the Loom". Cotler, known and... Read More

With compassion, Schutzer shares a quirky story, balanced in its humor and solemnity. A pregnant potbellied pig and a dying woman are at the heart of this novel about birth, death, and the power of love. Amy Schutzer’s whimsical... Read More

Power’s prose reflects the magic in her narrative. Don’t say that Susan Power uses magical realism. This would suggest that the fictional world she presents is an alternate reality, not a real part of everyday experience. However,... Read More

Depth of internal struggle, powerful themes, and setting as character—Rachel Weaver has achieved greatness with her debut. In Rachel Weaver’s "Point of Direction", Alaska is bared in all of its glory and tragedy as Anna and Kyle... Read More

Ghostly and symbolic, the Scottish island setting gives this supernatural tale authenticity. The Shetland Islands of Scotland are remote and relatively isolated—the perfect setting for Adam Grydehøj’s novel of the supernatural, "I... Read More

Intimate settings and deep character development break down the internal rationalizations that allowed the apartheid to last. A literary study of domestic South Africa, "The Crack" mirrors the wider political situation of the Soweto... Read More

Bleak beginnings drive Richard to foolhardy lengths in an effort to escape his roots, revealing universal insights into family and youth. Relentless roadblocks stall Richard Logan’s journey to manhood in this moody coming-of-age story... Read More

The Adirondack is conveyed in poetic terms, with a tragedy set against several years in the snowy, rugged locale. Mary Sanders Shartle paints a strong portrait of New York’s rugged Adirondack region in her debut novel, "The Truth and... Read More