In 1993 the narrator Jael B. Juba treks south to revisit historic Tarragona, Florida, where her friend and mentor Elizabeth Harding Dumot had restored a decrepit mansion fifteen years earlier and released the wild energies of legend and contemporary social conflict before getting out of town, her work done. Juba's work is also one of restoration. She must return a long-hidden diary-- discovered by Harding in her work on the house--to its original site, a secret room about to be opened to the public for the first time. Here, the diarist Frances Boullet and her intimates once kept a vodun sanctuary for celebrating their multiracial heritage, burying their dead, resisting the terror of the conquest of the Americas, and pondering the knowledge they draw from their variously Creolized past. Through the sanctuary, the diary, and the novel flow tales of trading; piracy; colonization; slave life at a plantation; an Indian bride's miraculous legacy from the time of the Seminole Wars; Haitian uprisings and inter-American conflict; and murders, births, and hauntings in Reconstruction times and after. These tales, framed by Juba's and Harding's, stretch into a revisionary history that is joyously plural.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER Finalist for the Amazon Canada First Novel Award Cityline Book Club Pick “A deep, unflinching yet loving look at injustice and power.” —Chatelaine “A powerful and unforgettable novel” (Quill and Quire, starred review) about a young woman who must find the courage to secure her freedom and determine her own future Set in an imagined world in which the most vulnerable are forced to buy their freedom by working off their debt to society, Gutter Child uncovers a nation divided into the privileged Mainland and the policed Gutter. As part of a social experiment led by the Mainland government, Elimina Dubois is one of just one hundred babies taken from the Gutter and raised in the land of opportunity. But when her Mainland mother dies, Elimina finds herself alone, a teenager forced into an unfamiliar life of servitude, unsure of who she is and where she belongs. Sent to an academy with new rules and expectations, Elimina befriends children who are making their own way through the Gutter System in whatever way they know how. But when her life takes yet another unexpected turn, Elimina will discover that what she needs more than anything may not be the freedom she longed for after all. Gutter Child reveals one young woman’s journey through a fractured world of heartbreaking disadvantages and shocking injustices. As a modern heroine in an altered but all-too-recognizable reality, Elimina must find the strength within herself to forge her future in defiance of a system that tries to shape her destiny.

"This book traces the retelling of the biblical story from Judges 4-5 in ancient retellings of the Bible, visual art, poems, plays, and novels. The books shows how these cultural productions of an old biblical story intersect with broader conversations about the often conflicted, and sometimes violent, relationship between women and men"--

Jael is just an average teenage girl with over-protective parents, an unrequited crush on the hottest guy in school, and a best friend she shares everything with. Until her parents let her in on the secret they've kept for nearly sixteen years... Jael is the Chosen One.Born to be a vampire slayer, her destiny was written in the Book of the Shunned. She's been chosen by God to set the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish community free from the grip of the Bishop, an ancient and powerful vampire who has been using the Amish people for his own personal Jamba Juice.Will she willingly leave her friends and all she knows to follow her destiny to Minnesota or will the Bishop bring destiny down on her in Sunburn, Nevada?With Amish made stakes at hand, Jael is a vampire's worst nightmare and ready to kick some serious bloodsucker butt. Her parents, forced to leave their plain and simple life to escape the clutches of the Bishop have trained their daughter to continue the fight begun thousands of years earlier by another slayer.Soon Jael is turning sweet sixteen, and all heck will break loose. What readers are saying: "Author Barbara Ellen Brink simply created the freshest, coolest, most fun bend on the YA vampire tale I've read in years. With obvious homage to the original "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," this riveting, action-packed, vamp-rocking romp is a unique breath of fresh air unlike any of the myriad copy-cat vampire series currently populating the YA section of your average Barnes and Noble--and so much more..." ~~ "I don't normally like vampire books. But this isn't about vampires--it's about a vampire slayer. Not only that, it's captivating, exciting, and well-written!" ~~ "The author writes a compelling action, adventure yarn with an improbable premise: Amish vampires and the Chosen, an Amish girl destined to fight these extraordinary nightmares." ~~ "This book didn't disappoint. It had a strong, tough heroine who struggled between her calling and the desire to just be a normal girl, it had butt-kicking action scenes, and it had the kind of quotable lines we got when Buffy was at her snarky best. It had a thread of wry humor that ran throughout the book and nicely balanced out the drama and suspense that kept me reading late into the night."

Mary Lee by Geoffrey Pomeroy Dennis: In this novel, Geoffrey Pomeroy Dennis weaves a compelling story centered around the character of Mary Lee. The narrative follows Mary's journey of self-discovery, love, and personal growth as she faces challenges and navigates the complexities of life. Through Mary's experiences, the novel explores themes of resilience, romance, and the pursuit of happiness. Key Aspects of the Book "Mary Lee": Character Development: The novel delves into the growth and transformation of the protagonist, Mary Lee, as she confronts various trials and tribulations. Themes of Love and Resilience: "Mary Lee" explores the power of love and the strength of the human spirit in overcoming obstacles. Emotional Narrative: The story captures the emotional depth of the characters' experiences, resonating with readers through its heartfelt storytelling. There is limited information available about the author Geoffrey Pomeroy Dennis. "Mary Lee" stands as a testament to his ability to craft an engaging and emotionally rich novel that touches on themes of love, resilience, and personal growth.