Susie Finkbeiner

Along a Storied Trail

Fiction

“Suzanne Woods Fisher, author of The Moonlight School “From the very first sentence of Along a Storied Trail, Ann H. Gabhart has hand-delivered a tale that will make readers feel right at home. With a voice that is every bit as distinct and special as Gabhart herself, the reader feels as though she’s riding along with her new friend Tansy, seeing the beauty of Appalachia even amidst the hard times of the Great Depression, through loss, and adversity. This is a story of resilience that is not only representative of the 1930s, but a story of resilience that we so deeply need in our times.”

Born of Gilded Mountains

Fiction

“Amanda Dykes has achieved a new level of storytelling with Born of Gilded Mountains. Glimmering in charm and rich in heart, this novel stunned me and compelled me to journey deeper and deeper into the lives of Mercy and Rusty. This is the perfect book to enjoy with friends.”

Feathers of Hope

Fiction

“Feathers of Hope is a return to characters we've already allowed space for in our hearts. It's a difficult story, one with plenty of loss and regret and resentment threaded throughout. But more than anything, it's a love story—love that perseveres, forgives, uplifts, and overcomes. It's a story of a more excellent way. In her signature gentle style, Brown invites us once again into the lives of Kit and Wren. This is a story I sorely needed, and I suspect I'm not the only one. What a timely, powerful, revealing novel!”

Gelato at the Villa

Fiction

“It is a widely acknowledged fact that Robin Jones Gunn has a knack for creating unforgettable characters. . . . As I read the story of these charming characters, I couldn’t help but smile at their joys, grieve for their hardships, and wish that I could go on adventures with them.”

In the Shadow of the River

Fiction

“This is a story of resilience that is not only representative of the 1930s, but a story of resilience that we so deeply need in our times.”

Not Finished Yet

Children & Youth

“What a stunning, delightful book! Sharon Garlough Brown's gentle and elegant storytelling is accompanied by the gorgeous and stirring illustrations by Jessica Linn Evans. Not Finished Yet is prayer in picture book form. What a gift to young readers and the adults who love them. Readers of Glenys Nellist and Crystal Bowman will want to have a copy for their shelf.”

Tea with Elephants

Fiction

“It is a widely acknowledged fact that Robin Jones Gunn has a knack for creating unforgettable characters. Just ask anyone who grew up with Christy Miller, and no doubt they’ll go on and on about what those books have meant to them over the years. Now those fans have two new characters to grow with. Fern and Lily, a.k.a. the Suitcase Sisters, will work their way into the hearts of readers from the very beginning of Tea with Elephants. As I read the story of these charming characters, I couldn’t help but smile at their joys, grieve for their hardships, and wish that I could go on adventures with them.”

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey

Fiction

“I’m a fan of atmospheric, well-written whodunits that are peopled with unforgettable characters. Naomi Stephens’s The Burning of Rosemont Abbey checks all the boxes for me. Readers who grew up with Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie will become fast friends with Louisa Everly. Be warned, this book will keep you up past your bedtime.”

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

Fiction

“Just as I was craving an uplifting novel, Mrs. Clara Kip entered my life. Sara Brunsvold’s inspiring debut invited me into the world of the characters to bear witness to their joys and heartaches, their gains and losses, their lives and deaths. Readers who enjoy Katie Powner and Lisa Samson will want to get their hands on The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. Grab some tissues and hunker down. Once you start reading you won’t want to stop.”

The Master Craftsman

Fiction

“expect and surprises that keep me engrossed. Kelli Stuart’s The Master Craftsman was such a book for me. This novel was a delightful escape from housework, a lovely distraction from daily tasks. More than once I completely lost track of time while reading and took a break only so I could Google pictures of St. Petersburg and the particular Fabergé eggs that Stuart described so well. Grab yourself a copy of this book, then buckle up for an escapade you won’t soon forget!”

The Surface of Water

Fiction

“Good fiction is made up of a million individual threads woven together into an enormous tapestry. The Surface of Water is such a novel. With complexity, careful skill, and nuance, Beach kept me on my toes as she led me through the telling of Pastor Goodman and Trish Card's story, coaxing me along with compelling narrative and fully realized characters. Beach shares a tale about the beauty and ugliness of relationships, the church, and the lives we choose to live.”

The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell

Fiction

“I knew from the first page that Elijah Campbell was a special character. Every chapter, paragraph, and sentence that I read proved me right. This novel is infused with gentle storytelling that reminded me of Wendell Berry, elegant prose that brought to mind Marilynne Robinson, and salt of the earth characters reminiscent of Leif Enger. The great delight that I found while reading, however, was what Kelly Flanagan brought to this story that only he could—a deep insight into what makes us human and how that makes us worthy of being seen and known.”

The Way It Should Be

Fiction

“Nelson once again delivers a story with heart, grit, and compassion. The Way It Should Be reminds readers of beauty in the midst of pain, hope in the thick of adversity, and the power of love to restore and redeem. A stunning read.”

The Weight of Memory

Fiction

“In the tradition of C. S. Lewis, George MacDonald, and Neil Gaiman, yet with a style all his own, Shawn Smucker has invited us yet again into a magical story. Powerful, startling, and with a good dollop of heart, These Nameless Things will stick with readers long after they’ve read the final page. This book is a wonder.”

Under the Bayou Moon

Fiction

“There’s just something about a novel by Valerie Fraser Luesse that feels like coming home. Reading Under the Bayou Moon felt like an invitation to sit with Valerie in her story shack so she could spin a yarn that made me fall in love with a place I’ve never been and care deeply for characters I’ve never met. This is the magic of good fiction, isn’t it? And Valerie performs her enchantments with a lyrical Southern style that took my breath away. This is a book to be savored.”

When the Meadow Blooms

Fiction

“Suzanne Woods Fisher, author of The Moonlight School “From the very first sentence of Along a Storied Trail, Ann H. Gabhart has hand-delivered a tale that will make readers feel right at home. With a voice that is every bit as distinct and special as Gabhart herself, the reader feels as though she’s riding along with her new friend Tansy, seeing the beauty of Appalachia even amidst the hard times of the Great Depression, through loss and adversity. This is a story of resilience that is not only representative of the 1930s, but a story of resilience that we so deeply need in our times.”

Where the Blue Sky Begins

Fiction

“My favorite stories are ones about everyday, salt-of-the-earth people. When I open a novel by Katie Powner, I know that's what I'm going to experience.”

With Every Memory

Fiction

“At times messy, emotional, and altogether tender, With Every Memory is a story that will feel familiar to readers, a story that feels entirely true. It’s also a story of forgiveness, resilience, and overcoming. This is a novel you don’t want to miss.”