“There are only good or bad choices and good and bad paths to follow, and you are only as good as the last choice you make. There was never an end that you could say you attained—there was only the struggle, every hour, every day, of making a life as good as it could be. And, in that struggle, the person you should trust least and hold most to account is yourself.” This quote from the novel, Between This World and the Next, by Praveen Herat, reveals the overwhelming sense of moral grayness that shapes the lives of the protagonists, Fearless and Song. As both seek to make amends, they must confront those in power who lead wicked lives without remorse, particularly given Song’s heartbreaking circumstances. The novel offers a poignant portrayal of the physical and deeply emotional harm caused by international sex trafficking, but through Song’s resilience, it ultimately affirms that strength is found in self-preservation and that rejecting unjust guilt is essential to survival.

“But as she left, promising to visit again soon, Tommy couldn’t shake the feeling that the past held the key to something vital. Something that could penetrate the fog and bring clarity to his fractured mind. He stared out the window watching the sun dip below the horizon. Somewhere, buried deep in his memories, was a truth waiting to be uncovered.” The novel, Threepence on the Carpet, by David Whittet, takes us through the highs and often lows of Tommy’s endeavors to gain relevance and earn his place amongst the musical greats without compromising his values and integrity. Though Tommy’s plights begin to feel gratuitous, the character remains endearing in his ability to still find hope after each trial, refusing to accept that life has simply turned its back on him. Threepence on the Carpet is a reminder that sometimes the only way through a path of conviction is one difficult, honest step at a time.

“And Jamie rode south with blood on his hands and a new sword at his hip and the understanding that he’d found something in that darkness that had been waiting for him all along.” The epic novel, The Bastard of Taylor’s End, by Jack Chase, blends historical fantasy with a sharp, cinematic edge. Chase excels at creating morally complex characters who aren’t just heroes or villains. Jamie’s journey from a disposable pawn to a catalyst exposing the systemic decay within the court landed with a sense of consequence. Every performance is a gamble where a single misstep means death. This book weaves a web of political intrigue and mystery, proving that sometimes the best way to destroy a kingdom is from within. A read for fans of mythic realism and complex, character-driven fantasy.

“And for a fraction of a second, I see her. Lasme is lying face down on a quilt, Farid on top of her, totally naked, grotesque. Lasme has something in her mouth, I don’t know what it is, maybe a rag, but her mouth is swollen and open, she doesn’t make a sound. I see the tears on her cheeks, for a fraction of a second, we make contact, but she doesn’t seem to be there.” Through this haunting quote, the short story collection, From Savagery, by Alejandra Banca and translated by Katie Brown, captures the precarious lives of Venezuelan migrants in Barcelona through twelve interconnected stories. The stories that stayed with me most were “Lasme” and “Euroloco,” which embody the book’s emotional intensity and chaotic energy. Together they highlight the collection’s restless momentum, revealing how displacement, survival, and fleeting connection shape the characters’ everyday lives. Banca’s charged writing balances brutality with moments of vulnerability and human connection.

Both of the following quotes stayed with me after reading two of the many impactful stories in this collection: “I am not holding a knife to my own neck. I am holding it to the throat of a hopeful young man I used to be, and the act now feels not like an escape, but like a murder” from the short story, “The Price of the Broken.” “She had a way of telling you something that felt like nothing, then two days later, it would bloom inside like a proverb” from “Maybe That’s What Memory Is.”  The short story collection, A Thread of Silent Echoes, by Patrick Nzabonimpa, sets us within the backdrop of Rwanda, as we experience fourteen stories that explore the fragility of daily life and the resilience required in the face of strife. As these quotes show, Nzabonimpa uses powerful descriptive language and meaningful scenes to illustrate many of the characters’ conflict and budding hope.

“I vomited a whole language for nothing, wasted it on fiction, while your beautiful brother still stood in your backyard, under the cherry tree. We had outgrown him. I saw all of that in your eyes.” The novel, Catch the Rabbit, by Lana Bastašić, brings forward an emotionally layered exploration of memory, displacement, and the quiet violence of devotion. When Sara is summoned back to Bosnia by her estranged childhood friend Lejla, a reluctant return home grows into a road trip shaped by grief, denial, and unfinished stories. The search for Lejla’s missing brother slowly exposes the lies both women have learned to live with. At times, the novel’s abstract structure may frustrate readers, but its strength pulls from that uncertainty. This is a thoughtful novel with emotional honesty about the stories we cling to in order to survive.

“For the first time since my parents died, a storm didn’t feel like a reminder of an ending; it felt like the start of something else.” Through the novel, Sailor on the Edge, by Christopher Renna, we experience the angst and hope of young love through the eyes of Sailor, the protagonist of a budding LGBTQ+ romance. Set in rural Midwestern America, the novel explores the lingering presence of homophobia while also capturing a sense of youthful acceptance that would have been nearly unimaginable decades ago. By highlighting the trials that come with the constant nervousness of revealing one’s identity, the novel occasionally brushes against familiar tropes. However, this feels less like a flaw in storytelling and more like a reflection of the often-lived realities LGBTQ+ youth continue to face. Through its emotional and deeply human portrayal, Sailor on the Edge is a recommended read, offering meaningful romantic visibility in an age that still too often seeks LGBTQ+ invisibility.

“He said he loved her; maybe that was true, but Tunde was a man. They were lulled from birth into the politics of gender elitism, expecting submission as an expression of a woman’s love. But women were not born to serve. They were not chattel, inanimate things prodded and provoked.” Through this snippet from the novel, Your Tomorrow Was Today, by Oyindamola Dosunmu, we experience the suffering and triumphant spirit of the main character, Karen, as she refused to be left defeated. As people attempt to demean her life based on gender and age, Karen maintains a steady focus on what she needs and deserves, refusing to sink into these purported obligations that others try to place upon her. Your Tomorrow Was Today provides an emotional portrayal of the physical and emotional harm that can exist within families and escalate into the most heinous acts, along with the painful but necessary realization that victims are not responsible for the violence done to them. Through Karen’s resilience, the novel affirms that strength is not submission and that refusing blame is an act of survival.

“When Paris’s storms turned others inside out, Guillaume’s creations held their shape such that the rain itself paused to admire his work.” From this line unfolds a tender story centered on Guillaume’s crafted umbrella following the mysterious gift of a parrot-headed handle.  The novel, Parapluie: A Fable, by wb Arnaud, brings with it three requirements of initial confusion: “Not to be sold. Not to be kept. For a true heart.” Through delightful language that presents in true fable form, such as the personification of the rain and her admiration of true artistry, we are reminded of the ongoing necessity of kindness and the profound impact of keeping such kindness in one’s heart through internal compassion and external benevolence. Parapluie is a richly imagined and quietly mesmerizing novel that reminds readers that small acts of grace often ripple and reshape lives.

“I come with a new knowledge, sit at the table for the first time with the beginnings of a person to whom I am linked, not by porridge and hikes, but by limb and life, bone and blood.” The short story collection, Between Sea and Sky, by Heather G. Marshall, guides us through fifteen stories that explore the fragile, often painful bonds between people, particularly within families, and the quiet resilience that sustains them. The stories that stuck with me are those that focus on the relationships of mother and child and the hardships, hopes, and fears that follow within these relationships, including “Substrata,” “As Good as a Feast,” “Clear Blue Line,” and “Behind the Veil.” Marshall’s vivid language and thoughtful scenes highlight each character’s struggle and frustration, conveying sorrow while still leaving room for hope and fulfillment.