The Gospel of Winter

Every Friday we give a new book away. To get the book, it's simple: just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and you'll be entered into a drawing. The drawing will run from Friday through Sunday and winners are announced on Mondays. (Note: you must be a Fresno County resident to be eligible for Free Fridays.)

The Gospel of Winter by Brendan Kiely

A fearless debut novel about the restorative power of truth and love after the trauma of abuse. As sixteen-year-old Aidan Donovan's fractured family disintegrates around him, he searches for solace in a few bumps of Adderall, his father's wet bar, and the attentions of his local priest, Father Greg--the only adult who actually listens to him. When Christmas hits, Aidan's world collapses in a crisis of trust when he recognizes the darkness of Father Greg's affections. He turns to a crew of new friends to help make sense of his life: Josie, the girl he just might love; Sophie, who's a little wild; and Mark, the charismatic swim team captain whose own secret agonies converge with Aidan's. "The Gospel of Winter "maps the ways love can be used as a weapon against the innocent--but can also, in the right hands, restore hope and even faith. Brendan Kiely's unflinching and courageous debut novel exposes the damage from the secrets we keep and proves that in truth, there is power. And real love.

Esther W. gets the lucky draw for this week. Keep the entries coming! We will definitely be having a ton of additional material in time for the Summer Reading Program.