Easily one of the best novels I’ve read in the past year. The stories of present-day Kip and years-past Mohammed are woven together so elegantly to create an engaging and thought-provoking story. Exploring race and queerness and their opposition in colonial Whiteness. Traveling over continents and decades, this novel converges on the inherent human desire to be genuinely seen—which may start with one’s own self. ~ Reviewed by Connor Johnston
This collection of short stories is magnetic and makes you confront the complicated emotions felt by Taddeo’s characters. Whether you empathize or relive a moment of your own, you’ll be captivated by the fragments of these women's lives that span both generations and class. Taddeo captures the essence of modern life that drives much of our internal follies. While these women do not exist, their experiences do. They play out in the lives of those around us. ~ Reviewed by Connor Johnston
I was immediately taken by the first poem in this beautiful translation of Rumi's work. It is interesting to see how much of the human experience hasn't changed. We love, we hurt, we hope and we persist. These poems capture that. Treat yourself to Rumi! ~ Reviewed by Connor Johnston
Four months after Air France flight 006 lands, the same plane and its passengers appear over the Atlantic—what follows is a story that explores the nature of our existence. Do we have control? What matters? Couldn’t put this down! ~ Reviewed by Connor Johnston
Giovanni’s Room meets On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous in Soviet-Era Poland. Ludwik and Janusz find each other at an end-of-university agricultural camp, sponsored by the state. This story weaves the tension between the two and the polarized world they inhabit—where one feels compelled to stay and the other desires a ‘better’ life. Beautifully tragic. ~ Reviewed by Connor Johnston