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Attraction and Repulsion by Robert Scott Leyse

Playful, poetic, and unexpectedly intense. Leyse charts the emotional fallout of first love in Paris in his playful novel. Three twenty-somethings, William, Christina, and Pascale, land in Paris for six unfiltered weeks of rooftop parties, cemetery crawls, and wine-soaked debates…
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The Cusser Club  (Tawdry, Titillating Texas Tales) by Randall Northcutt

Darkly funny, unapologetically tender, and unexpectedly moving… Set against the dust and desperation of backwater Texas, Northcutt’s blistering novel delivers a raw, unvarnished portrait of adolescence. In the sweltering summer of 1969, the town of Dix Knob, Texas, braces for…
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Fanny Berk Strikes Back by Avi Luxenburg

Taut, tense, and emotionally charged… Luxenburg’s compelling coming-of-age novel dives deep into the complexities of trauma, resilience, and the painful loneliness of being different. Fanny Berk, 15, is a karate student, a self-taught intellectual trapped in a stifling high school…
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Consumed in Capital City (Capital City #1) by N.G. Avant

A gripping exploration of the messy, morally gray intersections of power, ambition, and humanity… Avant’s debut installment in the Capital City series masterfully blends political intrigue, personal growth, and workplace drama, all set against the backdrop of municipal politics. It’s…
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Songs My Mother Taught Me by Helen Winslow Black

Profound, relatable, and hard to put down… Black’s latest novel poignantly explores a woman’s search for hope, healing, and rediscovery. Kim MacLean, a young lawyer, leaves behind an abusive marriage in Tulsa with her son in tow. She and her…
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Strawberry Gold by Chris Gerrib

A propulsive historical thriller. Gerrib’s compelling novel plunges readers into a deadly race for lost gold that unravels lives and exposes dark truths. In 1986, 18-year-old Pat Kowalski faces a crumbling life—his father is dying, their home is on the…
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Speak To Me by Ben Raterman

An entertaining blend of mystery, adventure, and heartfelt introspection… Raterman’s debut is a compelling tale that draws readers into a world where hidden jewels and buried secrets hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the past. Justine and Joseph,…
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BROKEN PENCILS by J.R Rice

Captivating and emotionally resonant… Rice takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, redemption, and the enduring power of human connection through the eyes of his teen protagonist. Jonah Tarver, an angsty teen in Oakland, grapples with his parents’ failing marriage,…
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It Was a Magical Place by Patrick Dewees

Poignant, honest, and illuminating. Wilderness, first love, and friendship all play roles in a sixteen-year-old boy’s coming of age story in Dewees’ engrossing novel. When Tom Gleason, 16, arrives at Camp Sunbeam in the summer of ’85, he is greeted…
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Feral Maril ​& Her Little Brother Carol by Leslie Tall Manning

An appealing combination of deep and page-turning; a triumph Manning’s latest novel offers a poignant story through the eyes of a child thrust into adulthood too soon. Marilyn Jones and her family face harsh realities when her mother is imprisoned…
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Getting to Yes by Tim Hunniecutt

Poignant, romantic; downright fun. Hunniecutt’s engrossing novel is a tender and unpredictable exploration of life’s most profound encounter: the sensation of falling in love, taking readers on a nineteen-year-old college student’s journey to find something real. Chris, a freshman at…
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Wild About Harry by Henry Grinberg

Funny, emotional, and full of heart; a hugely relatable must-read. Grinberg’s captivating tale of growing up in Britain during WWII chronicles the struggles of an immigrant family navigating complex parent-child dynamics in war-torn London. It is 1938, in London. Harry…
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Transit by Marty Malin

A twisty, satisfyingly unpredictable speculative fiction tale… In Malin’s latest novel, an emergency physician struggles to prevent her past from sabotaging her present.  After killing her abusive husband, Dr. Jessamyn Quilter knows she must restore balance and embarks on a…
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Hattie’s War by Peter Serko

A riveting, uplifting coming-of-age historical tale… Pain, memories, and the difficulty of letting go permeate Serko’s heartening story about family, friendship, and finding self. At 14, Harriett “Hattie” Alanson Howell has experienced major loss—her closest sibling died, and her father,…
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Discovering Mom by Bryan Foreman

A delightfully spirited coming of age story that’s full of heart… A vividly drawn cast, intriguing storyline, and fast-paced narrative mark Foreman’s latest novel. Thirteen-year-old Daniel Bennett struggles to fit-in both at home and at school. When he befriends Jasmine…
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Winter’s Descent by Don Gutteridge

Lush, imaginative, and emotionally insightful… Gutteridge’s atmospheric brilliant latest novel tells a young boy’s coming-of-age journey in rural Canada of the WWII era. It’s 1945. Eleven-year-old Will’s father is still away because of the war, but his parents have decided…
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Agnes’s Broken Dreams by Judy King

A deeply poignant story of trauma, pain, and moving-on. King’s evocative novel depicts one woman’s coming-of-age journey as she returns to her hometown to unravel the long-buried secrets of her traumatic past. Growing up, Agnes has been the target of…
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Nuggets: A Tale of the Cariboo Gold Rush by Susan K Kehoe

Addictive, exciting, thoroughly engaging… A page-turner. Kehoe takes readers on an exhilarating ride through the 1860s BC gold rush in her exciting latest novel. Victoria, British Columbia. Seventeen-year-old Robb McDonald works at the Hudson’s Bay post at a clerical position…
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The Magicians of Ysavar by Z.B. Lee

An entirely fresh and addicting tale… A young man learns what it means to be a true hero in Lee’s debut coming-of-age fantasy. Johan Finley has always dreamt of being a warrior, but when his arrogance and impulsive nature cost…
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THE GIRL FROM POTTER’S FIELD (ISLAND TALES) by James Gregory Kingston

A taut, compulsively readable tale… Set in 1944, Kingston’s stand-alone sequel to The City Island Messenger is a coming-of-age tale of love, friendship, revenge, and reincarnation. The world around City Island is caught up in war, and the close-knit community…