In Kathmandu, Raghu, a 19-year-old night porter, grapples with insecurities about his slim build while dreaming of love and success. Eager to gain weight and win the heart of Neela, the girl he admires, Raghu sets out on a humorous quest to eat his way...

Whispers Beneath the Waves by A.S. Pardesi follows a young woman's search for self-discovery while navigating the pitfalls of a tumultuous marriage. Savitri is a young woman who has recently moved from her parents' loving home in Punjab, India, to the coastal town of Danby,...

Asayi: An Autistic Teen's Journey to Topple a Shogun in Medieval Japan by Sharon Curcio follows the titular Asayi, daughter of a scribe to the Ashikaga Shogun. Asayi is brought to deliver her father's legal scrolls to the Shogun and arrange her marriage as third...

Awake For Ever in a Sweet Unrest by Chuck Rosenthal blends historical fiction, magical realism, and philosophical inquiry. Through vivid storytelling and richly layered characters, the novel explores themes of love, art, and the boundaries of time, creating a timeless narrative that both literature enthusiasts...

Teleporting Dummies by The Kruger Institute For Language Education is a surprisingly fun bilingual book that may make you laugh out loud while learning Spanish. The titular “dummies” are Gus and Royal, a classic comedy pair. Gus is dumb, and Royal is even dumber. But...

What would you do if you were defending your property from a burglar and they accidentally died? That’s the dilemma Um Hassam and her family faced one night in their apartment in Aleppo, Syria. The rooms are in darkness due to a power cut,...

This week I’ve been thoroughly engrossed by Charles Paul Collins’ historical novel The Remembering: Of Leather & Stone. A fictional account of the lives of real members of the author's family throughout the ages, this book manages to give a compelling insight into the history...

Yesteryear's Wish by Zixiao Yu is an evocative tale that seamlessly weaves nostalgia, mystery, and the warmth of family bonds. Set against a beautifully crafted, almost dreamlike backdrop, the novel unfolds with layers of tender memories and profound reflections that touch the heart. Each chapter...

Becoming Mariella by Janet Constantino is a heartwarming story about Mariella Russo, a young woman from Sicily eager to find her path and break free from her family's expectations. She feels the weight of her mother Yolanda's dreams, who is excited at the thought of...

Beware the Bantam Fighter by David Santiago follows a Puerto Rican family's experiences over the years living on the mainland. With her baby in the stroller, Josephina Burgos walks through the street to confront her son's bullies in the neighborhood. A young Roberto and his...