All the Ways to Go
by Jessie Janowitz
Milo Bloom, a chess prodigy who secretly wants to quit the game, intentionally loses a major tournament to avoid a summer of chess. Instead, he is sent to stay at a quirky, cat-filled house where he discovers Go, an ancient and fascinating board game. Alongside his new friend Roxie and a heavy cat named Cupcake, Milo experiences a summer full of unexpected adventures. However, he must find the courage to tell his family the truth about his feelings before his summer is truly ruined.
The Poppy Fields
by Nikki Erlick
In the California desert lies the Poppy Fields, a controversial treatment center promising to cure grief through a prolonged, experimental sleep. Four strangers (Ava, Ray, Sasha, and Sky) along with a friendly dog named PJ, embark on a cross-country journey to find the center’s enigmatic founder. However, as they travel toward this mystical destination, their own past secrets and hidden motivations threaten to derail the voyage. Ultimately, this high-concept speculative story explores the powerful resilience of the human spirit and asks just how far people will go to heal their broken hearts.