Big Chief (2025) Jon Hickey "A compelling and strong Native American novel about politics and power and how far some people will go to hold on to what they have."
Inside the Mirror (2024) Parul Kapur "Inside the Mirror is an extraordinary and moving story about twin sisters Jaya and Kamlesh as they struggle to pursue their passion and independence as women artists from a conservative society. Crafted with elegance and precision, and heartrending in its exploration of family drama, this novel is a beautiful and ambitious work of fiction."
Headshot (2024) Rita Bullwinkel "Rita Bullwinkel's Headshot is a powerfully compelling and evocative look at the lives of girl boxers, told in a style of beauty and concision. I loved it."
Beautyland (2024) Marie-Helene Bertino "Beautyland is both an otherworldly and completely human look into one girl's life, written in concise, lyrical prose. It is richly allusive, funny, and hypersmart. Marie-Helene Bertino has knocked it out of the park with this one. I loved it."
Pay as You Go (2023) Eskor David Johnson "Eskor David Johnson's Pay As You Go dramatizes the important question of what is home as Slide maneuvers life's obstacles and searches for a place to live. Johnson writes with the fierce intensity of Ralph Ellison and delivers a prodigious and compelling novel with an unforgettable story. Eskor David Johnson is an extraordinary writer."
South (2023) Babak Lakghomi "A quiet meditation on imagination and reality, absence and presence, and the world around us. Lakghomi achieves a poetic and hypnotic effect with his tightly constructed, spare prose."
How to Care for a Human Girl (2023) Ashley Wurzbacher "Ashley Wurzbacher's How to Care for a Human Girl is a heartfelt, compelling story told in an artful blend of sophistication and beauty. This is a fierce look at family, resilience, and love. Wurzbacher is a powerful new voice in fiction."
Night of the Living Rez (2022) Morgan Talty "Morgan Talty's Night of the Living Rez is a beautifully crafted, raw and intimate book about youth, friendship, and family on the reservation. These stories are profoundly moving and essential, rendered with precision and intimacy. Talty is a powerful new voice in Native American fiction."
End of the World House (2022) Adrienne Celt "Adrienne Celt's End of the World House brilliantly captures our swelling fears of the world we live in today, but it's way more than that. It's also a severely smart and surreal examination of friendship and capitalism that is both terrifying and beautiful and strikes deeply at readers' emotions. I loved it."
A Little Hope (2021) Ethan Joella "Ethan Joella has written a powerful and compelling novel about people whose lives are on the cusp of collapse in this richly textured story of hope and love. A Little Hope is an absorbing, propulsive, and elegantly written debut. I absolutely loved it."
Blue Skinned Gods (2021) SJ Sindu "One of the most original and beautiful novels I've read in a long time."
All God's Children (2020) Aaron Gwyn "All God’s Children is an enthralling historical novel that presents a vision of the American West. Gwyn's prose is both raw and captivating, and what results is the moving story of the lives of Duncan, Sam, and Cecilia. I couldn't put it down."
You Again (2020) Debra Jo Immergut "Debra Jo Immergut's You Again implicates the reader into a dark mystery that begins with suspicion and ends exactly where it must. Immergut writes this stunning portrait of a woman on the brink of collapse as only she can write it--which is to say, beautifully, intelligently, and full of compassion."
Crooked Hallelujah (2020) Kelli Jo Ford "Kelli Jo Ford's Crooked Hallelujah masterfully evokes loss and displacement, steeped in Native American culture, rife with compassion and deep understanding. Kelli Jo Ford is a powerful new Native American writer who writes beautifully with stunning prose! She is brilliant, and I can't wait for people to read her amazing book."
