August Book Recommendation:

The Truth According to Ember 

written by Danica Nava

Recommended by Carlee Wilson

This is my first Indigenous romance novel, and it didn’t disappoint! The Truth According to Ember follows the main character, Ember, as she uses a few “white lies” to land a job beyond her professional experience, navigate corporate America, and impress her new heartthrob coworker, Danuwoa. 

The Truth According to Ember reminded me of a modern day, Indigenous version of Jane Austen’s infamous Emma. Pure in intention, Ember (like Emma) embarks on a comedy of errors that makes the reader cringe in secondhand embarrassment and laugh out loud at how relatable she is. 

Nava does a great job building the story’s tension and using it to propel the reader forward as we question “will they or won’t they?” Nava also excels at depicting the experiences we as Natives have in relation to non-Natives who simply don’t understand (and don’t bother to learn) about their casual racism and cultural misappropriation. I really appreciated the “inside jokes” element to this book that only we as citizens of Indian Country would understand. 

Ultimately, this is a fun novel and a perfect summer beach read.

Hayu masi to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy. The Truth According to Ember will be published on August 6, 2024. 

Buy the book from Tribal member owned Time Enough Books