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Recommend this book:
I Know Why Old Men Plant Trees
Bob Seay
2026 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
I Know Why Old Men Plant Trees by Bob Seay follows Wendell, a former Landscape Algorithm Compliance Officer, who quietly rebels against algorithmic landscaping rules after moving back to Denver and taking up dog-walking. He begins planting native coneflowers in public parks, aided by friends like Porter and Erica, and later joins Chris Schneider in a covert gardening effort involving zucchini, defying rigid municipal regulations. As their activities attract attention, Wendell is pressured by Leonard, his former supervisor, to return to enforcement work, facing escalating fines and threats. The conflict intensifies when city officials attempt to destroy their unauthorized plantings. Wendell publicly challenges the enforcement system by leaking his violation notice to the press, resulting in the destruction of the garden, leading to Wendell amping up resistance.
I Know Why Old Men Plant Trees by Bob Seay is a refreshing and sharply observant look at how ordinary people respond when bureaucratic systems encroach on everyday life. Seay’s dry wit and steady voice carry the story through a series of unexpected turns as Wendell and his small group of dog and flora-loving locals resist Algorithmic overreach, quietly, creatively, and with just enough absurdity to make things really interesting. From zucchini protests to defiant tomato sales, Seay builds a world where quiet gestures matter and where relationships, strained, mended, or in progress, serve as reminders of what’s still possible. Wendell’s journey from compliance enforcer to reluctant agitator captures the feeling of someone waking up mid-step, finding others already in motion. The result is an inventive, often funny book that gives real weight to small decisions and unnoticed acts, all set in a place where even plants are political.
I Know Why Old Men Plant Trees by Bob Seay follows Wendell, a former Landscape Algorithm Compliance Officer, who quietly rebels against algorithmic landscaping rules after moving back to Denver and taking up dog-walking. He begins planting native coneflowers in public parks, aided by friends like Porter and Erica, and later joins Chris Schneider in a covert gardening effort involving zucchini, defying rigid municipal regulations. As their activities attract attention, Wendell is pressured by Leonard, his former supervisor, to return to enforcement work, facing escalating fines and threats. The conflict intensifies when city officials attempt to destroy their unauthorized plantings. Wendell publicly challenges the enforcement system by leaking his violation notice to the press, resulting in the destruction of the garden, leading to Wendell amping up resistance.
I Know Why Old Men Plant Trees by Bob Seay is a refreshing and sharply observant look at how ordinary people respond when bureaucratic systems encroach on everyday life. Seay’s dry wit and steady voice carry the story through a series of unexpected turns as Wendell and his small group of dog and flora-loving locals resist Algorithmic overreach, quietly, creatively, and with just enough absurdity to make things really interesting. From zucchini protests to defiant tomato sales, Seay builds a world where quiet gestures matter and where relationships, strained, mended, or in progress, serve as reminders of what’s still possible. Wendell’s journey from compliance enforcer to reluctant agitator captures the feeling of someone waking up mid-step, finding others already in motion. The result is an inventive, often funny book that gives real weight to small decisions and unnoticed acts, all set in a place where even plants are political.
Recommend this book:
Mancala Moon
Asa Bowers
2026 Honorable Mention
253 Pages
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Mancala Moon by Asa Bowers is a fantasy about breaking a cursed cycle of pain. The story is about grief, the overshadowing presence and influence of ancestral ties, and inheritance. Micah is a 21-year-old struggling with the loss of his parents. He can’t come to grips with his personal failures and is disturbed by the curse of premature death that is etched in his bloodline. He feels an irresistible pull toward a mysterious, ancient forest in Northern California, a place rumored to be known for disappearances and otherworldly phenomena. Guided by a fox, he experiences visions of his ancestors, becomes conscious of their sins and sacrifices, and the burden of the curse in his lineage. There is also the possibility of breaking that curse.
Asa Bowers made me feel as though I had stepped into a dream. Micah's grief is poignantly portrayed; his despair rubs off on you as you follow him. His adventure into the forest becomes something extraordinary. You feel for him, you are anxious for him, and you want to know what becomes of him. The plot twist and the ending were far from what I expected, and it was just delightful. The forest felt like a living being, and the fox was a character that I followed keenly. Mancala Moon has an extraordinary setting, and the worldbuilding is rich with symbolism, visions, and whispers. The author expertly blends myth with reality. This book is written in exquisite prose that lingers, even after you turn the last page.
Mancala Moon by Asa Bowers is a fantasy about breaking a cursed cycle of pain. The story is about grief, the overshadowing presence and influence of ancestral ties, and inheritance. Micah is a 21-year-old struggling with the loss of his parents. He can’t come to grips with his personal failures and is disturbed by the curse of premature death that is etched in his bloodline. He feels an irresistible pull toward a mysterious, ancient forest in Northern California, a place rumored to be known for disappearances and otherworldly phenomena. Guided by a fox, he experiences visions of his ancestors, becomes conscious of their sins and sacrifices, and the burden of the curse in his lineage. There is also the possibility of breaking that curse.
Asa Bowers made me feel as though I had stepped into a dream. Micah's grief is poignantly portrayed; his despair rubs off on you as you follow him. His adventure into the forest becomes something extraordinary. You feel for him, you are anxious for him, and you want to know what becomes of him. The plot twist and the ending were far from what I expected, and it was just delightful. The forest felt like a living being, and the fox was a character that I followed keenly. Mancala Moon has an extraordinary setting, and the worldbuilding is rich with symbolism, visions, and whispers. The author expertly blends myth with reality. This book is written in exquisite prose that lingers, even after you turn the last page.
Recommend this book:
Anasazi Vision
Profound Wisdom From The Four Corners Desert And One Woman's Journey To Peace
True North
2026 Bronze Medal
430 Pages
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
True North’s Anasazi Vision follows True after she spends a year caring for her severely ill mother, whose death leaves her unable to stay in the empty Southern Oregon house. True returns to the Four Corners region and prepares for a ten-day vision quest at Hovenweep National Monument. During the fast, a man named Oliver appears on a boulder and tells her that Earth’s balance has been disturbed. He says the Ancient Ones held a secret that people now need, then sends her to find archaeologist Leo Biscolli. True tracks him to the Red Rock Archaeological Campus, where his research into Ancestral Puebloan history opens a route to abandoned settlements and questions no excavation can answer. What begins as mourning becomes a search across the Southwest for the meaning behind Oliver’s warning.
True North’s Anasazi Vision is an incredibly thoughtful spiritual novel, and True takes readers along for the journey. The Hovenweep monument is a testament to True's ability to paint a picture through prose. True describes the desert so well that I could see the flat boulder against all that open land, which makes the vision quest feel completely at home there. I also love how she describes others in the book as fully fleshed-out individuals. Spirit Eyes is terrific, with the blunt “Ahh” and “Nah” test giving her a personality I remembered long after she left the story. Denver Mahema is even better. True makes the 103-year-old Hopi elder instantly memorable through his conversations with crows, while his six imprisonments for defending Hopi land give his teachings enormous authority. Well written and beautifully rendered, readers who enjoy spiritual books will appreciate this.
True North’s Anasazi Vision follows True after she spends a year caring for her severely ill mother, whose death leaves her unable to stay in the empty Southern Oregon house. True returns to the Four Corners region and prepares for a ten-day vision quest at Hovenweep National Monument. During the fast, a man named Oliver appears on a boulder and tells her that Earth’s balance has been disturbed. He says the Ancient Ones held a secret that people now need, then sends her to find archaeologist Leo Biscolli. True tracks him to the Red Rock Archaeological Campus, where his research into Ancestral Puebloan history opens a route to abandoned settlements and questions no excavation can answer. What begins as mourning becomes a search across the Southwest for the meaning behind Oliver’s warning.
True North’s Anasazi Vision is an incredibly thoughtful spiritual novel, and True takes readers along for the journey. The Hovenweep monument is a testament to True's ability to paint a picture through prose. True describes the desert so well that I could see the flat boulder against all that open land, which makes the vision quest feel completely at home there. I also love how she describes others in the book as fully fleshed-out individuals. Spirit Eyes is terrific, with the blunt “Ahh” and “Nah” test giving her a personality I remembered long after she left the story. Denver Mahema is even better. True makes the 103-year-old Hopi elder instantly memorable through his conversations with crows, while his six imprisonments for defending Hopi land give his teachings enormous authority. Well written and beautifully rendered, readers who enjoy spiritual books will appreciate this.
Recommend this book:
A Dangerous Friendship
A Novel
Robin Merle
2026 Bronze Medal
320 Pages
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
A Dangerous Friendship by Robin Merle is a novel about grief, obsession, and the strange hunger for connection after loss. The narrator, Tina, begins the story in emotional turmoil, newly divorced and exhausted by a series of endings. Seeking distraction and a reset, she throws herself into small, risky adventures around New York before escaping to a quirky writers’ colony in New Hampshire. There, she meets Spike, a magnetic and volatile woman whose presence feels immediately fated. Spike is witty, intense, and unpredictable, offering Tina both companionship and a doorway into a more reckless version of life. Their bond forms quickly through stories, late-night conversations, and shared performances of bravado, yet it has an undercurrent of danger. As Tina becomes more enthralled, she also begins to question what is true about Spike and what is illusion, realizing that intimacy can blur into fixation.
Robin Merle’s writing is sharp and darkly funny, with sentences that capture the narrator’s vulnerability and keen observational wit. The pacing unfolds in quick, vivid scenes, often built around charged dialogue and surreal social encounters, giving the narrative a dreamlike momentum. Spike’s voice, in particular, crackles with energy, and the author excels at portraying the push and pull of obsessive attachment, where affection and manipulation can be hard to separate. The atmosphere is slightly fevered, drawing readers into Tina’s inner monologue as she tries to make sense of longing, power, and emotional risk. Readers who enjoy character-driven psychological fiction, stories about complicated female bonds, and novels that explore the thin line between fascination and self-destruction will find A Dangerous Friendship especially compelling.
A Dangerous Friendship by Robin Merle is a novel about grief, obsession, and the strange hunger for connection after loss. The narrator, Tina, begins the story in emotional turmoil, newly divorced and exhausted by a series of endings. Seeking distraction and a reset, she throws herself into small, risky adventures around New York before escaping to a quirky writers’ colony in New Hampshire. There, she meets Spike, a magnetic and volatile woman whose presence feels immediately fated. Spike is witty, intense, and unpredictable, offering Tina both companionship and a doorway into a more reckless version of life. Their bond forms quickly through stories, late-night conversations, and shared performances of bravado, yet it has an undercurrent of danger. As Tina becomes more enthralled, she also begins to question what is true about Spike and what is illusion, realizing that intimacy can blur into fixation.
Robin Merle’s writing is sharp and darkly funny, with sentences that capture the narrator’s vulnerability and keen observational wit. The pacing unfolds in quick, vivid scenes, often built around charged dialogue and surreal social encounters, giving the narrative a dreamlike momentum. Spike’s voice, in particular, crackles with energy, and the author excels at portraying the push and pull of obsessive attachment, where affection and manipulation can be hard to separate. The atmosphere is slightly fevered, drawing readers into Tina’s inner monologue as she tries to make sense of longing, power, and emotional risk. Readers who enjoy character-driven psychological fiction, stories about complicated female bonds, and novels that explore the thin line between fascination and self-destruction will find A Dangerous Friendship especially compelling.
Recommend this book:
Did You Have the Life You Wanted?
A Novel
Andrea Simon
2026 Silver Medal
424 Pages
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
Did You Have the Life You Wanted? by Andrea Simon explores memory, identity, and the dynamics of human relationships. Through the camera lens, Anita Rappaport, the protagonist, intertwines personal reflection with historical and cultural moments, creating a portrait of a life shaped by the ever-changing landscape of New York City. The story begins with Anita revisiting her past, retracing her steps through the streets of Greenwich Village, where she once lived, reconnecting with old friends, revisiting familiar landmarks, and reflecting on the choices and experiences that have defined her life. Set during the revolutionary 1960s, the novel captures the essence of New York City during a transformative era, painting vivid scenes of Greenwich Village, the gritty subways, and the vibrant cultural movements that defined the time.
Andrea Simon writes vividly and introspectively, capturing the city’s historical landmarks, cultural shifts, and the vibrant lives of its residents. The novel skillfully interlaces important social issues, including sexism, racism, feminism, and the struggles of marginalized communities, into Anita’s personal story. Revolutionary events such as the Stonewall riots and the feminist movement add historical context, grounding Anita’s experiences in a broader societal framework. The storytelling is witty, nostalgic, and poignant, blending humor with serious themes. The dialogue is sharp and engaging, and the characters are realistically brought to life. Did You Have the Life You Wanted? is a beautifully written novel that captures the essence of human experience. It is a meaningful story that invites readers to reflect on their own lives and choices.
Did You Have the Life You Wanted? by Andrea Simon explores memory, identity, and the dynamics of human relationships. Through the camera lens, Anita Rappaport, the protagonist, intertwines personal reflection with historical and cultural moments, creating a portrait of a life shaped by the ever-changing landscape of New York City. The story begins with Anita revisiting her past, retracing her steps through the streets of Greenwich Village, where she once lived, reconnecting with old friends, revisiting familiar landmarks, and reflecting on the choices and experiences that have defined her life. Set during the revolutionary 1960s, the novel captures the essence of New York City during a transformative era, painting vivid scenes of Greenwich Village, the gritty subways, and the vibrant cultural movements that defined the time.
Andrea Simon writes vividly and introspectively, capturing the city’s historical landmarks, cultural shifts, and the vibrant lives of its residents. The novel skillfully interlaces important social issues, including sexism, racism, feminism, and the struggles of marginalized communities, into Anita’s personal story. Revolutionary events such as the Stonewall riots and the feminist movement add historical context, grounding Anita’s experiences in a broader societal framework. The storytelling is witty, nostalgic, and poignant, blending humor with serious themes. The dialogue is sharp and engaging, and the characters are realistically brought to life. Did You Have the Life You Wanted? is a beautifully written novel that captures the essence of human experience. It is a meaningful story that invites readers to reflect on their own lives and choices.
Recommend this book:
Indifferent Universe
Joseph Blackhurst
2026 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
Indifferent Universe by Joseph Blackhurst is a sprawling, unconventional narrative that defies categorization. At its core, the book is a meta-fictional exploration of life, death, art, and the interconnectedness of existence. Blackhurst crafts a story that oscillates between humor, tragedy, and philosophical musings, creating a read that is challenging yet rewarding. The novel follows Aldo, a melancholic writer whose life is marked by missed opportunities, strained relationships, and an unrelenting pursuit of artistic validation. Through Aldo’s journey, Blackhurst explores themes of creativity, loneliness, and the human desire for meaning. The narrative is interspersed with anecdotes about Aldo’s friends, family, and acquaintances, each contributing to the tapestry of his life and the broader commentary on the human condition.
Joseph Blackhurst’s writing is bold and experimental, often breaking traditional storytelling conventions. The prose is dense, filled with tangents, footnotes, and self-aware commentary that blur the line between the author, the narrator, and the characters. While this style may alienate some readers, it is undeniably ambitious and reflective of the book’s central theme: the chaotic and indifferent nature of the universe. The humor is dark and biting, often juxtaposed with moments of sadness. The novel’s meta-narrative, which includes commentary from an AI assistant, adds complexity, inviting readers to question the nature of storytelling and the role of technology in art. Indifferent Universe is not for everyone, but for readers who appreciate erudite or canonical literature, textual labyrinths, and experimental fiction with philosophical depth, it is a unique and memorable read. It’s suited to readers of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and authors whose writing demands close attention to language, theme, and structure. This is literature at its finest.
Indifferent Universe by Joseph Blackhurst is a sprawling, unconventional narrative that defies categorization. At its core, the book is a meta-fictional exploration of life, death, art, and the interconnectedness of existence. Blackhurst crafts a story that oscillates between humor, tragedy, and philosophical musings, creating a read that is challenging yet rewarding. The novel follows Aldo, a melancholic writer whose life is marked by missed opportunities, strained relationships, and an unrelenting pursuit of artistic validation. Through Aldo’s journey, Blackhurst explores themes of creativity, loneliness, and the human desire for meaning. The narrative is interspersed with anecdotes about Aldo’s friends, family, and acquaintances, each contributing to the tapestry of his life and the broader commentary on the human condition.
Joseph Blackhurst’s writing is bold and experimental, often breaking traditional storytelling conventions. The prose is dense, filled with tangents, footnotes, and self-aware commentary that blur the line between the author, the narrator, and the characters. While this style may alienate some readers, it is undeniably ambitious and reflective of the book’s central theme: the chaotic and indifferent nature of the universe. The humor is dark and biting, often juxtaposed with moments of sadness. The novel’s meta-narrative, which includes commentary from an AI assistant, adds complexity, inviting readers to question the nature of storytelling and the role of technology in art. Indifferent Universe is not for everyone, but for readers who appreciate erudite or canonical literature, textual labyrinths, and experimental fiction with philosophical depth, it is a unique and memorable read. It’s suited to readers of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and authors whose writing demands close attention to language, theme, and structure. This is literature at its finest.
Recommend this book:
Clovis
Annie Dike
2026 Gold Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Annie Dike crafts a story about what remains when the ground gives way in this big-hearted saga of trauma and grit. Clovis tells the story of Calliope “Callie” Potts, which begins with a prologue in which her brother Jude’s little sandcastle washes away in the rain. A catastrophic accident claims Callie’s leg and leaves her in a hospital bed. She has fragmented memories that pull her back to her childhood in Clovis, New Mexico. We witness Callie’s painful upbringing through feverish flashbacks that introduce her intelligent brother, Jude, her alcoholic mother, Charlene, and her wayward cowboy father, Bill. What follows is her ascent from hand-me-down poverty to earning a law degree in Austin, marrying the gentle Braden, and building a family that is affected by a mass shooting and betrayal.
The character building and storytelling in Clovis are top-of-the-line. I loved how Annie Dike employs short, punchy chapters, some of them just a few pages, which race across decades like a freight train. You are moved by the staccato panic of monitors at Callie’s hospital bed and her worry for Jude when she hears news of the shooting. The flashbacks and Callie’s streams of consciousness give the story the nature of an ingeniously plotted psychological thriller, pulling you irresistibly into her pain and history. If you love characters with finely drawn, elaborate inner worlds, then Callie is one you will root for. Clovis is the kind of place where a man like Jude needs role models to survive. The suspense persists as multiple perspectives (Jay, Callie, Mom, and Levi) create the threads for a beguilingly detailed family canvas, held together by loyalty and pain.
Annie Dike crafts a story about what remains when the ground gives way in this big-hearted saga of trauma and grit. Clovis tells the story of Calliope “Callie” Potts, which begins with a prologue in which her brother Jude’s little sandcastle washes away in the rain. A catastrophic accident claims Callie’s leg and leaves her in a hospital bed. She has fragmented memories that pull her back to her childhood in Clovis, New Mexico. We witness Callie’s painful upbringing through feverish flashbacks that introduce her intelligent brother, Jude, her alcoholic mother, Charlene, and her wayward cowboy father, Bill. What follows is her ascent from hand-me-down poverty to earning a law degree in Austin, marrying the gentle Braden, and building a family that is affected by a mass shooting and betrayal.
The character building and storytelling in Clovis are top-of-the-line. I loved how Annie Dike employs short, punchy chapters, some of them just a few pages, which race across decades like a freight train. You are moved by the staccato panic of monitors at Callie’s hospital bed and her worry for Jude when she hears news of the shooting. The flashbacks and Callie’s streams of consciousness give the story the nature of an ingeniously plotted psychological thriller, pulling you irresistibly into her pain and history. If you love characters with finely drawn, elaborate inner worlds, then Callie is one you will root for. Clovis is the kind of place where a man like Jude needs role models to survive. The suspense persists as multiple perspectives (Jay, Callie, Mom, and Levi) create the threads for a beguilingly detailed family canvas, held together by loyalty and pain.
Recommend this book:
A Tuscan Interlude
Book 2 Alternate Realm Trilogy
Celeste Johnson
2025 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
A Tuscan Interlude: Book 2 Alternate Realm Trilogy by Celeste Johnson sweeps readers into a sultry summer in Florence, where a blockbuster film production and a viral journalistic rivalry stir the passions of locals and visitors alike. Against the breathtaking backdrop of Tuscany’s hills and hidden sculpture gardens, old grievances resurface and new opportunities shimmer tantalizingly on the horizon. As characters wrestle with the tension between familiar comforts and daring possibilities, unexpected friendships bloom and darker undercurrents surface, including a crime ring that threatens to ensnare them all. This richly woven literary novel explores trust, transformation, and the eternal lure of the past in a land where every stone and sunset holds a story.
Author Celeste Johnson's descriptions whip the imagination into a cinematic frenzy, capturing Tuscany’s magic with a literary elegance that plants itself firmly in the mind and refuses to let go. The ensemble cast that populates the story brings the setting to life with realistic dialogue and a sense of warmth. This deft balance of personal introspection and suspenseful intrigue creates an immersive read where I felt invested in the characters’ lives. There’s something very sensory about the descriptions that makes you feel like you could reach out and sample every flavour, scent, and sight of Florence. The beautiful countryside and the close narrative perspective let you sit right on the characters’ shoulders as they experience everything. This makes the emotional points of the story hit all the more authentically, with a thoughtful exploration of how the past can both anchor and free us being rendered with emotional nuance. Overall, A Tuscan Interlude is a recommended read for fans of vivid and immersive storytelling.
A Tuscan Interlude: Book 2 Alternate Realm Trilogy by Celeste Johnson sweeps readers into a sultry summer in Florence, where a blockbuster film production and a viral journalistic rivalry stir the passions of locals and visitors alike. Against the breathtaking backdrop of Tuscany’s hills and hidden sculpture gardens, old grievances resurface and new opportunities shimmer tantalizingly on the horizon. As characters wrestle with the tension between familiar comforts and daring possibilities, unexpected friendships bloom and darker undercurrents surface, including a crime ring that threatens to ensnare them all. This richly woven literary novel explores trust, transformation, and the eternal lure of the past in a land where every stone and sunset holds a story.
Author Celeste Johnson's descriptions whip the imagination into a cinematic frenzy, capturing Tuscany’s magic with a literary elegance that plants itself firmly in the mind and refuses to let go. The ensemble cast that populates the story brings the setting to life with realistic dialogue and a sense of warmth. This deft balance of personal introspection and suspenseful intrigue creates an immersive read where I felt invested in the characters’ lives. There’s something very sensory about the descriptions that makes you feel like you could reach out and sample every flavour, scent, and sight of Florence. The beautiful countryside and the close narrative perspective let you sit right on the characters’ shoulders as they experience everything. This makes the emotional points of the story hit all the more authentically, with a thoughtful exploration of how the past can both anchor and free us being rendered with emotional nuance. Overall, A Tuscan Interlude is a recommended read for fans of vivid and immersive storytelling.
Recommend this book:
Water Music
A Cape Cod Story
Marcia Peck
2025 Honorable Mention
244 Pages
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite
Water Music by Marcia Peck will appeal to fans of literary, historical, realistic, drama, and social issues fiction. Almost twelve-year-old Lily Grainger is happy to spend the summer of 1956 with her family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Her father, Weston, plans to build a house opposite his brother George's home. However, Weston and his wife, Lydia, do not have enough funds to complete the construction. They hope to borrow money from Lydia's parents. The tension between them grows, hurting Lily and her elder sister, Dodie. Lily practices playing her cello for a talent show and dreams of a new dress her mother cannot afford to buy. The rivalry between Weston and George threatens to split the two families, and many old secrets come out. As a hurricane approaches Cape Cod, Lily fears losing everything she treasures the most.
Marcia Peck's Water Music is a stirring family drama narrated by a perceptive twelve-year-old girl. The author creates a gripping storyline, masterfully stringing intense scenes together. Peck warns us that family relationships may be painfully fragile and uses the house under construction as a metaphor for hope, stability, and love. The author closely examines the theme of maternal love and crafts an intriguing relationship between Lydia and Lily with music as its integral part. The characters are complex and well-developed. Weston is the most inspiring of them and symbolizes resilience against all odds. Peck's writing style is clear and poetic, with a pinch of dry humor. As the well-structured narrative unfolds, a surprising turn of events results in a bittersweet, thought-provoking ending. I highly recommend this spellbinding novel.
Water Music by Marcia Peck will appeal to fans of literary, historical, realistic, drama, and social issues fiction. Almost twelve-year-old Lily Grainger is happy to spend the summer of 1956 with her family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Her father, Weston, plans to build a house opposite his brother George's home. However, Weston and his wife, Lydia, do not have enough funds to complete the construction. They hope to borrow money from Lydia's parents. The tension between them grows, hurting Lily and her elder sister, Dodie. Lily practices playing her cello for a talent show and dreams of a new dress her mother cannot afford to buy. The rivalry between Weston and George threatens to split the two families, and many old secrets come out. As a hurricane approaches Cape Cod, Lily fears losing everything she treasures the most.
Marcia Peck's Water Music is a stirring family drama narrated by a perceptive twelve-year-old girl. The author creates a gripping storyline, masterfully stringing intense scenes together. Peck warns us that family relationships may be painfully fragile and uses the house under construction as a metaphor for hope, stability, and love. The author closely examines the theme of maternal love and crafts an intriguing relationship between Lydia and Lily with music as its integral part. The characters are complex and well-developed. Weston is the most inspiring of them and symbolizes resilience against all odds. Peck's writing style is clear and poetic, with a pinch of dry humor. As the well-structured narrative unfolds, a surprising turn of events results in a bittersweet, thought-provoking ending. I highly recommend this spellbinding novel.
Recommend this book:
Naked Girl
Janna Brooke Wallack
2025 Bronze Medal
364 Pages
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Fiction - Literary
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In Naked Girl by Janna Brooke Wallack, Sienna “CeeCee” Jones and Siddharta “Siddhi” Jones live a life of complete insecurity. They are under the care, a term used quite loosely, of their dad, Jackson, who is their primary guardian since their mother is no longer alive. Their house in Florida is known colloquially as “Xandu,” and is a haven for the things two young children should not even know about, let alone have to live with on a daily basis. Violence and drugs, manipulation and sex, lack of food, and Jackson being the head of a cult are among some of the many things the kids grow up around. As the years go by and people filter through Xandu and the cult grows, the siblings learn to fend for themselves as much as possible, resorting to attempts at rehousing, education, and maneuvering through the storms to weather these to the best of their abilities.
“I had no substantive life plan. But wasn’t my one-way destitution the poetry of Xanadu?" The literary references and symbolism that Janna Brooke Wallack builds into Naked Girl really had me stepping back, knowing I was in for an intelligently entertaining ride. In this quote, we are looking into a full-circle moment of adulthood for Sienna, but in her childhood, we know that the choice to name the house "Xanadu" after Coleridge’s poem adds symbolic weight to the setting: themes of grandeur, decay, and the ephemeral nature of dreams and ambitions. The rugged elegance of Wallack's writing is everywhere, in which first-person accounts are both caustic and laden with style. I am reminded of Nell Zink's Nicotine in the chaotic nature of those who transit through the lives of Sienna and Siddhi, but with a panache that is singularly Wallack's. Very highly recommended.
In Naked Girl by Janna Brooke Wallack, Sienna “CeeCee” Jones and Siddharta “Siddhi” Jones live a life of complete insecurity. They are under the care, a term used quite loosely, of their dad, Jackson, who is their primary guardian since their mother is no longer alive. Their house in Florida is known colloquially as “Xandu,” and is a haven for the things two young children should not even know about, let alone have to live with on a daily basis. Violence and drugs, manipulation and sex, lack of food, and Jackson being the head of a cult are among some of the many things the kids grow up around. As the years go by and people filter through Xandu and the cult grows, the siblings learn to fend for themselves as much as possible, resorting to attempts at rehousing, education, and maneuvering through the storms to weather these to the best of their abilities.
“I had no substantive life plan. But wasn’t my one-way destitution the poetry of Xanadu?" The literary references and symbolism that Janna Brooke Wallack builds into Naked Girl really had me stepping back, knowing I was in for an intelligently entertaining ride. In this quote, we are looking into a full-circle moment of adulthood for Sienna, but in her childhood, we know that the choice to name the house "Xanadu" after Coleridge’s poem adds symbolic weight to the setting: themes of grandeur, decay, and the ephemeral nature of dreams and ambitions. The rugged elegance of Wallack's writing is everywhere, in which first-person accounts are both caustic and laden with style. I am reminded of Nell Zink's Nicotine in the chaotic nature of those who transit through the lives of Sienna and Siddhi, but with a panache that is singularly Wallack's. Very highly recommended.
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