GREAT INDIE READS

An Invitation to Embrace the UnknownFrom muddy football fields in Belgium to a dot-com start-up in New York, from the heights of the Tibetan Plateau to the stillness of a meditation hall in Kyoto, Johan Depraetere's journey has been shaped not by caution but by moments of daring. He imagined these choices as reaching into a bag of gummy bears and pulling out the rare green ones: dramatic, bold, life-changing. Others were like picking a yellow gummy bear: quieter, softer. Yet each choice, whatever its colour, opened doors to possibility and growth. Through twelve vivid, personal and honest stories, Johan shows how both subtle whispers and bold leaps pushed him beyond comfort and into a fuller, unbounded life - the thrill of stepping past the familiar. This is an invitation to recognise the inflection points in your own journey: the moments when comfort pulls one way and curiosity beckons another. Pick Your Gummy Bear is your companion for those crossroads in life, when you pause and ask: Which gummy bear will I choose?

From multi-award-winning author David Catuhe, dive into the enchanting saga of a young mycomanceress! Menilmonea's life is guided by traditions, rituals, and legends, all centered around worship of the Mother. A mycomanceress, the young girl once received a gift connecting her to nature and mushrooms, though she views it more as a curse. When the turtle Titan Tunka, protector of their village, fails to awaken from his slumber, Menilmonea and her friend Aureal set out in search of help from the neighboring frog Titan. But never did they expect to feel so shaken by the upheavals unraveling their world, which may well be on the verge of collapse... This marks the beginning of a journey of transformation in which the two friends must face revelations that could shatter everything they thought they knew about their world... and the very history of their people. A coming-of-age fantasy novel that defies genre conventions and readerly expectations, Menilmonea skillfully weaves together belief, heritage, and the search for identity. Here, the adventure begins when you stop following the rules.

"A dazzling literary debut...a sparkling novel." -Dayton Daily News Three women. Three secrets. One summer that changes everything. Anita Kumar was fifteen when shame stole her voice. Pregnant and afraid to disappoint her successful parents, she allowed others to decide her future-and her daughter's. Years later, she buries her grief beneath competence, scanning every child's face for the one she lost. Born into wealth but raised in fear, Ashley Spady escapes a violent home only to find herself trapped in a cycle she doesn't know how to break-until an unexpected diagnosis forces her to confront the truth about herself. Adopted and blessed with an extraordinary memory, Robin Zymanski dreams of becoming a writer. But as questions about her origins deepen and her vision begins to fade, she must decide who she is when the future she imagined slips from view. When their lives converge in the summer of 2009, the three women form an unlikely bond that reshapes their understanding of identity, forgiveness, and belonging. Before We Were Women is a moving multicultural, multigenerational novel of resilience and sisterhood-about confronting the past, reclaiming your voice, and discovering that family can be found in the most unexpected places. Perfect for Readers Who Love: - - Female friendship that becomes chosen family - Found family in unexpected places - Second chances at life-and motherhood - Adoption and identity journeys - Disability representation (vision loss & assistive tech) - Quiet reinvention and personal growth - Emotional, character-driven women's fiction Perfect for Book Clubs. Themes Include: - - Teenage pregnancy and autonomy - Adoption and emotional legacy - Domestic violence and generational silence - Disability and redefining identity - Immigrant expectations and cultural belonging - The meaning of service - Found family vs. biological family - Forgiveness and closure - Multicultural and multigenerational conversations