Amy Meyerson teaches in the writing department at the University of Southern California, where she completed her graduate work in creative writing. She has been published in numerous literary magazines and currently lives in Los Angeles.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife (2024) Anna Johnston "I was completely swept away by Anna Johnston's charming and clever debut. Frederick Fife is an easy character to root for, someone warm and a touch mischievous, who can't help but improve the lives of those around him. A life-affirming and hilarious tale of mistaken identity, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife insists that it's never too late for a second chance."
The Last Verse (2024) Caroline Frost "The Last Verse unfolds like a perfect country ballad, winding its way through a tale of heartbreak, perseverance, and redemption. And like the best songs, you'll want to revisit it again and again, finding new depths and beauty each time. Immersive and suspenseful, this novel is not to be missed."
The Little Italian Hotel (2023) Phaedra Patrick "Phaedra Patrick has done it again with this absolute charmer of a novel. With keenly observed characters and Patrick's signature wit, The Little Italian Hotel celebrates the healing power of community and insists that it's never too late to bet on yourself. I loved this transportive, life-affirming novel."
The House Party (2022) Rita Cameron "Rita Cameron's The House Party explores how a night of seemingly innocent fun can lay bare the class and moral fault lines of one tight-knit community. What struck me most about Cameron's confident and absorbing novel was the empathy she bestows on her characters, making it difficult for the reader to cast blame on some while vindicating others. A fresh take on privilege and entitlement, The House Party is exactly the kind of thought-provoking and highly readable novel I love."
We Are the Brennans (2021) Tracey Lange "In We Are the Brennans, Tracey Lange expertly captures the way one harrowing night can forever change a family. The Brennans are a tight-knit Irish family, carrying enough secrets to topple most families. Instead, Lange offers them a chance to heal, reminding us that it’s never too late to mend old wounds and that the things that tear us apart can ultimately put us back together. I devoured every page of this confident, accomplished debut."
Shoulder Season (2021) Christina Clancy "Expertly researched and flawlessly executed, Shoulder Season has a bit of everything: adventure and excess; love and heartbreak; shocking tragedy. You’ll start reading for the wild ride of the Playboy Resort but stay for Sherri, the complex protagonist at the heart of this exquisite novel. Clancy is a master of place, rendering Wisconsin so vividly that I’m homesick for somewhere I’ve never been. I’ll be thinking about this novel for a long time."
Zabor, or the Psalms (2021) Kamel Daoud "In Zabor, or The Psalms, Kamel Daoud has manifested a writer’s dream: to be able to save lives through prose. For Zabor, this is both a blessing and a curse, particularly when it comes to his dying father. Kamel Daoud has crafted a lyrical, internal novel reminiscent of Camus and Dostoevsky, that explores the nature of life and death, of faith and family. Ultimately, this exquisite novel celebrates not just the power of language but the process by which it’s woven and spun into story. As lovely as it is inventive, this book is one to be savored."
The Lost Apothecary (2021) Sarah Penner "Sarah Penner kept me guessing until the last page of this addictive, atmospheric novel... Meticulously researched, The Lost Apothecary is both a cure for idleness and a recipe for intrigue. Prepare to be consumed by this carefully plotted, propulsive debut."
Ladies of the House (2021) Lauren Edmondson "A fun and clever take on Sense and Sensibility, Ladies of the House is replete with witty banter and keen social commentary. Like any good modernization, it also stands alone as a stellar novel, one that celebrates sisterhood and the way women can step out of flawed men's shadows. I delighted in every page of this fast-paced, redemptive novel."
The Lost Manuscript (2021) Cathy Bonidan "When Anne-Lise Briard finds an abandoned manuscript in a hotel nightstand, it sets off a chain of events that connects a lively cast of characters as, one by one, they are transformed by the spellbinding novel. Told entirely in letters--and the occasional email--The Lost Manuscript celebrates the unique ability of books to unite strangers and to enrich lives. As charming as it is inventive, this clever novel is an absolute delight to read."
The Wrong Kind of Woman (2020) Sarah McCraw Crow "The Wrong Kind of Woman is the right kind of book. A beautifully written exploration of loss, the novel captures its characters at the cusp of personal and social change. Sarah McCraw Crow deftly navigates the campus and national politics of the '70s in a way that remains timely and pressing today. A powerful, thought-provoking debut."
Mother Land (2020) Leah Franqui "Lively and evocative, Mother Land is a deftly crafted exploration of identity and culture, with memorable and deeply human characters who highlight how that which makes us different can ultimately unite us."
Set My Heart to Five (2020) Simon Stephenson "Set My Heart to Five is one of the most original, funny, and heartwarming stories I’ve read in years. This novel has it all—humor, insight, social commentary, romance, Hollywood, the end of society as we know it, old movies, and classic cars. Jared may be a bot, but he feels emotions more acutely than most humans. I loved following him through the pages of this clever and poignant novel. Set My Heart to Five will set your heart well past that. It certainly did mine."
142 Ostriches (2020) April Dávila "142 Ostriches is unlike anything I've read before. Wholly unique, this cinematic novel exposes readers to the relatively unknown industry of ostrich farming. In Davila's skillful hands, the desert comes alive and the ostriches are as compelling as the human characters. Tallulah herself is a memorable, strong-willed protagonist. Her struggle to negotiate family obligations with her own desires feels both singular and highly relatable. I loved following her through the pages of this fast-paced and lovely novel."
