Just Give Me a Soft Place to LandWhen three women, Beth, Caroline and Sarah agree to meet on Wednesday night to share their passion for knitting, they had no idea their group would grow to number eleven over the years. Nor did they realize as the women knit, they had common concerns despite their varied journeys. Each begins to share her struggles, failures and triumphs creating the core of a deep seeded bond amongst them. Beth will share a teenage pregnancy resulting in guilt and shame which have haunted her for years before culminating in the discovery of the child; now a grown man. The women support her as she meets the father of her child forty years later.Caroline discovers, within months after her marriage, her husband has a problem, diagnosed as alcoholism but which she believes is rooted in psychological trauma. After fearing for her life, the women support Caroline as she lets go of a toxic marriage and experiences the pain of co-dependency. Sarah is devastated when her soul mate dies suddenly and later, after marrying a man who promises to take care of her, smothers her instead with his need to be needed. The women encourage Sarah to find her voice and convince her husband he needs to let her succeed or fail so she can build a sense of self-worth. Cindy's husband is diagnosed with cancer while Kelly's mother sends a letter telling her to 'have a good life'. The book is filled with heartache but humor as the women laugh over commonalities in their marriages. The story is character-driven with strong voices eliciting palpable emotion, drawing the reader into empathizing with the character. Each woman's story creates an arc leaving the reader anxious to return and learn what happens next. The concept of the knitting group provides an ideal backdrop for the setting. Each woman opens topics relative to all women and which become perfect fodder for book club discussion. The women will laugh and cry together, each woman acknowledges their group has become a soft place to land.

From the award-winning author of Bound South comes a powerful, moving novel of family loss and sisterly redemption. For more than ten years, Naomi and Phil Harrison enjoyed a marriage of heady romance, tempered only by the needs of their children. But on a vacation alone, the couple perishes in a flight over the Grand Canyon. After the funeral, their daughters, Ruthie and Julia, are shocked by the provisions in their will…not the least of which is that they are to be separated. Spanning nearly two decades, the sisters’ journeys take them from their familiar home in Atlanta to sophisticated bohemian San Francisco, a mountain town in Virginia, the campus of Berkeley, and lofts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As they heal from loss, search for love, and begin careers, their sisterhood, once an oasis, becomes complicated by resentment, anger, and jealousy. It seems as though the echoes of their parents’ deaths will never stop reverberating—until another shocking accident changes everything once again.

In this compelling and heartfelt mystery story, Janae Marks—author of the acclaimed bestselling From the Desk of Zoe Washington—follows a young girl reshaping her meaning of home. Perfect for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Rebecca Stead. Two starred reviews! A Project Lit Club Book Club Selection, S&L Lead Title, and Kids' Indie Next List Pick! “Joyful. A book that kids will love.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me Joy Taylor has always believed home is the house she lived in her entire life. But then her dad lost his job, and suddenly, home becomes a tiny apartment with thin walls, shared bedrooms, and a place for tense arguments between Mom and Dad. Hardest of all, Joy doesn’t have her music to escape through anymore. Without enough funds, her dreams of becoming a great pianist—and one day, a film score composer—have been put on hold. A friendly new neighbor her age lets Joy in on the complex’s best-kept secret: the Hideout, a cozy refuge that only the kids know about. And it’s in this little hideaway that Joy starts exchanging secret messages with another kid in the building who also seems to be struggling, until—abruptly, they stop writing back. What if they’re in trouble? Joy is determined to find out who this mystery writer is, fast, but between trying to raise funds for her music lessons, keeping on a brave face for her little sister, and worrying about her parents’ marriage, Joy isn’t sure how to keep her own head above water. "Squeezes your heart in such a special way." —Lisa Moore Ramée, author of A Good Kind of Trouble and Something to Say “Readers will find hope in Joy’s courage, ingenuity, and fierce dedication to her friends.” —Kate Messner, author of Breakout and Chirp “A timely story about connection, loss and the spaces we need to understand one and brave the other.” —Paula Chase, author of Dough Boys and So Done

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group of Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures to discuss the topics the two have dedicated their lives to understanding and teaching: vulnerability and shame resilience. Contributions by Kiese Laymon, Imani Perry, Laverne Cox, Jason Reynolds, Austin Channing Brown, and more NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY MARIE CLAIRE AND BOOKRIOT It started as a text between two friends. Tarana Burke, founder of the ‘me too.’ Movement, texted researcher and writer Brené Brown to see if she was free to jump on a call. Brené assumed that Tarana wanted to talk about wallpaper. They had been trading home decorating inspiration boards in their last text conversation so Brené started scrolling to find her latest Pinterest pictures when the phone rang. But it was immediately clear to Brené that the conversation wasn’t going to be about wallpaper. Tarana’s hello was serious and she hesitated for a bit before saying, “Brené, you know your work affected me so deeply, but as a Black woman, I’ve sometimes had to feel like I have to contort myself to fit into some of your words. The core of it rings so true for me, but the application has been harder.” Brené replied, “I’m so glad we’re talking about this. It makes sense to me. Especially in terms of vulnerability. How do you take the armor off in a country where you’re not physically or emotionally safe?” Long pause. “That’s why I’m calling,” said Tarana. “What do you think about working together on a book about the Black experience with vulnerability and shame resilience?” There was no hesitation. Burke and Brown are the perfect pair to usher in this stark, potent collection of essays on Black shame and healing. Along with the anthology contributors, they create a space to recognize and process the trauma of white supremacy, a space to be vulnerable and affirm the fullness of Black love and Black life.

A Soft Place to Land Life-changing moments of wisdom and grace 'This inspiring book will transform your life! I love this book. It is a book of the heart.' Denise Linn We all want to find a safe, nurturing place where we can thrive. With her hallmark gentleness and wisdom, Maggie Hamilton shares insights that will help you arrive at your own special place in life.Discover how to reawaken the parts of you that have been sleeping, reclaim your passion for living, and nourish yourself in body and spirit. Find new ways to dissolve moments of sadness or despair, and simple touches that will warm your days. Rediscover your faith in yourself and your ability to make good decisions. Savour the gifts of the seasons, and the endless opportunities to celebrate the joy of being alive.Drawing in a rich mix of everyday experiences, wisdom stories and travels to faraway places, A Soft Place to Land offers page after page of beautiful ways to open your heart and make your soul dance.

From the award-winning author of A Soft Place to Land and A Place at the Table comes a tale of three vibrant and unique Southern women—Louise, Caroline, and Missy—as their lives intersect in unexpected and extraordinary ways. From the outside, Louise Parker seems like a proper Southern matron. But inside, Louise seethes. She’s thwarted by her seemingly perfect husband, frustrated with her talented but rebellious daughter, scarred by her philandering father, and exasperated by her unstable mother. Louise simply doesn’t know how to stop playing the role she’s been starring in for her entire life. A gifted actress, Louise’s daughter Caroline can make any character seem real when she takes the stage. But Caroline is lost when it comes to relationships, especially when dealing with her mother. When Caroline’s young, handsome drama teacher seduces her, she can’t resist. But her forbidden affair will lead Caroline to a different kind of stage, with a new audience. Missy loves Jesus nearly as much as she misses her father, a part-time minister who deserted his family when Missy was three. She accompanies her mother to work as a maid at the Parker residence, for two reasons: to help her mother to clean the house and to save the Parkers’ irreverent son Charles. By turns hilarious and poignant, this is a richly compelling debut novel of family, friendship, and folly.